Southern Branch PAGE 56

Volume 22 Part 4 £3.99 N

50 Years and Still Growing

the quarterly magazine of the National Vegetable Society AUTUMN 2016 Southern Branch PAGE 56

Growing Pears PAGE 23

New cultivars PAGE 42

Branch Reports PAGE 47

simply vegetables kindly sponsored by

visit www.kikkadigga.com Since 1894, Dobies have always provided the solution for gardeners looking for quality at a price that’s difficult to resist! Whether it be seeds or plants, through our catalogues and online, we’ve always been there for the gardener who enjoys gardening. In recent years, we’ve been awarded the “Best Buy Seed Supplier” by Which? Gardening, and we’re still maintaining our competitive prices compared to other major retail seed suppliers. www.dobies.co.uk

£ CUT FLOWERS

LIMITED OFFER LIMITED OFFER HERITAGE VEG Plan ahead no and SVE £££s ERLY DELIVERY Plan ahead no and SVE £££s ERLY DELIVERY VILBLE FOR LL VILBLE FOR LL GARDEN TOOLS PICK & MIX ITEMS ON THIS PGE PICK & MIX ITEMS ON THIS  PGE (PGE ON LEFT) BUY NY 2 PCKS ND GET 3RD FREE! ND BCK COVER BUY NY 2 PCKS ND GET 3RD FREE! ND THE FLP oﬀ er closes 13th February 2017 SEE PGE 98 oﬀ er closes 13th February 2017 SEE PGE 98 must be packs of the same plug size FOR DETILS DOWNmust be packs of theTO same plug size FOR DETILS from these 12 varieties, just enter a zero price for the third item hen you order from these 12 varieties, just enter a zero price for the third item hen you order Smith NE NE in Pick & Mix in Pick & Mix EARTH Range Begonia F1 Ambassador Mix Alyssum North Face Antirrhinum F1 Kim Mix Gazania Daybreak Mix Nicotiana F1 Perfume Mix

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Carrot Rainbo Mixed Brighten up mealtimes! An unusual and Cabbage Kilazol F1 fascinating carrot mixture, producing An improvement on any clubroot resistant delicious roots in an array of shades - even cabbage, with long storage and much the fussiest of kids may be tempted by the better taste! look of it! Row 2m (6’). Courgette Cocozelle v. 50 seeds 43 31 00 500 seeds 43 40 00 Tripolis “This variety is ideal for smaller plots or even in a well-watered Carrot Oxheart “A snub nosed container. Producing green/cream striped variety, which will grow well in containers or You’ll ﬁ nd our “Don to earth” prices throughout the fruits in abundance, ‘Cocozelle’ will keep shallow soil. Sweet and tender, ‘Oxheart’ is you in courgettes all summer long. The a quick grower with less foliage than you’d catalogue, including on our “Gardening Essentials” - those fruits are sweet and nutty, perfect for expect from the size of the root, and it’s an items of equipment that no gardener should be ithout! picking very young”. excellent keeper.” 15 seeds 43 97 31 £3.00 200 seeds 43 41 19 £2.50

Call 0844 967 0303 to request your Free Ne Seed Catalogue 2017 QUOTING NVS17 10% discount ill be applicable for all NVS Members excl. P&P Lines open 24/7 or go online at .dobies.co.uk Oﬀ er ends 31th December 2016

NVS OTP Dobies 26/8/16.indd 1 25/08/2016 09:19 Since 1894, Dobies have always provided the solution for gardeners looking for quality at a price that’s difficult to resist! Whether it be seeds or plants, through our catalogues and online, we’ve always been there for the gardener who enjoys gardening. In recent years, we’ve been awarded the “Best Buy Seed Supplier” by Which? Gardening, and we’re still www.dobies.co.uk simply maintaining our competitive prices compared to other major retail seed suppliers. ....55 years

4392 DOWN TO EARTH PRICES DOWN TO EARTH PRICES Ne ranges from the The economical way to fill beds and borders with colour, and The economical way to fill beds and borders with colour, and SEED CTLOGUE 2017 inner of the BBC great for patio containers too! great for patio containers too! Bedding Plants A SOILSOIL Bedding Plants A SOILSOIL A A Big llotment Challenge A SOIL A SOIL and still growing Begonia F1 President Mix Trailing Lobelia Cascade Mix Cineraria Silverdust Impatiens F1 Select Mix Petunia F1 Select Mix Stock Sugar & Spice vegetables Rob Smith Rob OUT NO! Range £ CUT FLOWERS The Quarterly Magazine of the National Vegetable Society LIMITED OFFER LIMITED OFFER HERITAGE VEG Plan ahead no and SVE £££s ERLY DELIVERY Plan ahead no and SVE £££s ERLY DELIVERY VILBLE FOR LL VILBLE FOR LL GARDEN TOOLS PICK & MIX ITEMS ON THIS PGE PICK & MIX ITEMS ON THIS  PGE (PGE ON LEFT) BUY NY 2 PCKS ND GET 3RD FREE! ND BCK COVER BUY NY 2 PCKS ND GET 3RD FREE! ND THE FLP Volume 22 Part 4 Autumn 2016 Charity registered 1088979 oﬀ er closes 13th February 2017 SEE PGE 98 oﬀ er closes 13th February 2017 SEE PGE 98 must be packs of the same plug size FOR DETILS DOWNmust be packs of theTO same plug size FOR DETILS from these 12 varieties, just enter a zero price for the third item hen you order from these 12 varieties, just enter a zero price for the third item hen you order Smith NE NE in Pick & Mix in Pick & Mix EARTH Range National National Articles, notices, meetings etc relative to Begonia F1 Ambassador Mix Alyssum North Face Antirrhinum F1 Kim Mix Gazania Daybreak Mix Nicotiana F1 Perfume Mix Begonia F1 President Mix Lobelia Crystal Palace Trailing Lobelia Cascade Mix Impatiens F1 Select Mix Petunia F1 Select Mix Stock Sugar & Spice A first-class bedding A good range of flower colours, some plants stock. Good proportion of double flowers. Delicious your Branch and DA should be sent to the A weather-resistant multiflora variety, in a wide range President Chairman A free-flowering mixture, for baskets, containers or even A large-flowered mixture which grows vigorously having fresh green leaves and others boasting Silverdust groundcover. Trailing. Cineraria and blooms profusely in sun or shade. Ht. 25-35cm of colours producing a carpet of flowers. Ht. 23-30cm sweet fragrance. Ht. 20-25cm (8-10”). deep bronze leaves. Ht. 20cm (8”). A popular foliage item that is compact and uniform. The (10-14"). (9-12"). 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 46 11 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 45 11 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 45 51 £6.49 perfect foil for strong or pastel colours. Ht. 15-20cm (6-8"). 20 Value Plugs 22 43 11 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 45 41 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 45 91 £6.49 20 Value Plugs 22 43 71 £6.49 20 Value Plugs 22 42 71 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 45 21 £6.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 44 31 £7.49 20 Value Plugs 22 43 01 £6.49 20 Value Plugs 22 43 51 £6.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 44 91 £7.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 43 91 £7.49 20 Value Plugs 22 42 81 £6.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 44 71 £7.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 44 21 £7.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 44 01 £7.49 Nicotiana F1 Perfume Mix A bedding Medwyn Williams MBE John Branham, FNVS sub-editors below. Begonia F1 mbassador Mix lyssum North Face PRICESGazania Daybreak Mix F1 Kim Mix nicotiana with a full colour range and beautiful scent, Unlike President, Ambassador produces Delicately scented, clear white flowers and a vigorous, Lobelia Crystal Palace ntirrhinum Large blooms, in a range of bright shades, are held on An excellent dwarf, compact, well branching habit with that will bloom for months. Ht. 35-40cm (14-16”). plants which all have rich green foliage. Very cascading growth habit. It’s ideal for hanging baskets Deep blue flowers on bronzy-green foliage. A lovely sturdy stems above glossy green foliage. Ht. 25-30cm blooms in a dazzling array of colours. Ht. 25cm (10”). 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 45 71 £6.49 striking! Ht. 20cm (8”). and containers or as an edging. Ht. 13-15cm (5-6”). edging for yellow marigolds. Ht. 15cm (6"). (10-12"). 45 Extra Value Plugs 23 59 21 £6.49 20 Value Plugs 22 43 31 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 45 01 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 26 03 75 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 26 03 80 £6.49 45 Extra Value Plugs 22 45 31 £6.49 20 Value Plugs 23 58 91 £6.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 47 51 £7.49 20 Value Plugs 22 42 61 £6.49 20 Value Plugs 26 03 65 £6.49 20 Value Plugs 20 57 21 £6.49 20 Value Plugs 22 42 91 £6.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 43 81 £7.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 26 03 70 £7.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 25 20 55 £7.49 15 Garden Ready Plugs 23 59 11 £7.49 AHRHS FNVS 01296 681307 Scottish Branch 15 Garden Ready Plugs 22 44 11 £7.49 Other pack sizes available online! HERITAGE VEG 270 Extra Value Plugs To help get the most out of your bedding plants, you ill need: (6 of the 12 varieties from pages 4-5 DOWN TO EARTH PRICE - our selection) 01248 714851 e-mail: Gro ing on Pots and Trays SVE OVER £18 1080 PLANTS SVE Perfect for growing on young plants, these 23 39 71 ONLY £19.99 OVER £90 handy trays keep your small pots neat, tidy, easy Sub-Editor: 540 Extra Value Plugs BEST to work on and can be used time and time again. £65 (90 of each of the 12 varieties) SELLER Small: Each tray holds 40, 6cm (2½") pots.  e-mail: [email protected] Pack of 3 Small Trays & 120 Pots SVE OVER £40 57 22 94 £13.99 20 17 11 ONLY £37.50 “The nice people at Dobies Pack of 9 Small Trays & 360 Pots In fact e’re building on 1080 Extra Value Plugs Fiona Shenfield ll MULTI BUY SVE £7.00 (90 of each of the 12 varieties) Purpose 58 61 85 £34.97 SVE OVER £90 [email protected] Compost 24 37 25 ONLY £65.00 Ideal for anything Medium: Each tray holds 18, 8cm Perfect for seeds from sowing (3") pots. MULTI 6x Fertiliser Unless you select the early delivery Pack of 3 Medium Trays & 54 Pots or young plants A 100% natural organic option, normal delivery times will be: Extra .DOBIES.CO.UK have asked me to work with seeds to potting BUY 01592 890284 chicken manure fertiliser. up young plants 56 41 00 Value Plugs - late March/end April; Value £9.99 our Sixcompetitively times richer than Plugs - April/May; Garden Ready Plugs - priced, 2017 and filling patio SEED CTLOGUE farmyard manure. May/June (begonias/geraniums late April/ containers and Pack of 9 Medium Trays & 162 Pots or medwynsofanglesey.co.uk 58 87 95 £12.99 mid May). Please order in good time - later baskets. MULTI BUY SVE £7.00 orders become subject to availability. PLUS PLNTS, BULBS, FRUIT & EQUIPMENT 60 litre bag 59 49 10 £12.99 58 61 90 £22.97 www.dobies.co.uk e-mail: ‘no frills’ ethos ith a ne  0844 967 0303 them to bring you a fantastic 4392 FLAP-BC-FC.indd 1 16/08/2016 15:11 selection of heritage veg” Pea Blauschokker [email protected] range of key products at Call or go online to “The beautiful purple flowers can rival any Winner of the sweet pea. Dark purple seed pods. Can be Northern Branch don to earth prices in request your BBC Big Allotment eaten young as mangetout, or leave them to mature”. our ne 2017 catalogue! FREE catalogue Challenge Sub-Editor: 200 seeds 43 02 14 £2.50 the team National Vice Chairman David Metcalfe Michael Osborn Grant Cathro FNVS David Metcalfe FNVS, Chairman, 01282 863351 DOWN TO EARTH PRICE DOWN TO EARTH PRICE NE NE 01382 580394 Northern Branch e-mail: to to Rob Smith Rob Smith [email protected] 01282 614429 [email protected] Range Range [email protected] £1.99 £1.99 Midland Branch General Secretary John Croot FNVS Sub-Editor: Fiona Shenfield Secretary Northern Branch Mick Poultney FNVS 01592 890284 01773 834213 07815 630811 [email protected] [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]

Assistant Secretary Arwyn Edwards Southern Branch Mark Hall BEM FNVS Vice Chairman, Welsh Branch 07768 290122 01267 253363 Sub-Editor: Lettuce Red Little Gem [email protected] maze A red-leaved Little Gem with Tomato Heinz 1350 Peter Cranfield Darf French Bean leaves that have a soft, buttery texture. “This bush style tomato will provide you 01279 850511 Compass Excellent uniformity and disease resistance Pepper lmapaprika with countless, beautiful, bright red fruit. e-mail: “Also known as the Hungarian Apple due Weighing around 170g (6oz) each, this One of the tastiest ‘extra fine’ French Beans- and impressive colour. Ideal for raised beds Treasurer Sandra Hall, FNVS [email protected] so prolific and not susceptible to disease or garden. to its shape. It starts of creamy white and small 90-120cm (3-4’) plant is a real producer. You can expect the best, Denis Barry Bsc (ED) FNVS Chairman Midland Branch 100 seeds 43 10 66 400 seeds 43 64 55 gradually changes to fire engine red. It has a very slight heat to it and was the original including crack-resistant fruit, high yields 01633 440876 01952 541396 Welsh Branch pepper used to make paprika”. and above all, FLAVOUR!” [email protected] 15 seeds 43 82 75 £2.50 15 seeds 43 93 87 £3.00 Sub-Editor: DOWN TO EARTH PRICE DOWN TO EARTH PRICE Ivor Mace DVD Distribution Gareth Cameron FNVS 01443 775531 NE NE Executive Scottish Branch Sponsorship e-mail: to to £2.49 £1.99 Rob Smith Rob Smith Gordon Francis FNVS Manager [email protected] Range Range Southern Branch Chairman 07935 117397 01622 710486 [email protected] NVS Ireland [email protected] Barry Newman FNVS Editor: Chairman of the Judges Southern Branch Michael Gordon Examination Board 01403 711598 086871 3359 Jim Williams FNVS [email protected] e-mail: 01875 320644 [email protected] [email protected] Carrot Rainbo Mixed Ian Clemens and finally, myself… Brighten up mealtimes! An unusual and Membership Registrar Chairman Southern Branch Cabbage Kilazol F1 fascinating carrot mixture, producing Branches 01403 751676 National An improvement on any clubroot resistant delicious roots in an array of shades - even Magazine Editor cabbage, with long storage and much the fussiest of kids may be tempted by the Neil Hope FNVS [email protected] better taste! look of it! Row 2m (6’). Courgette Cocozelle v. 01932 844183 Kelvin Mason 50 seeds 43 31 00 500 seeds 43 40 00 Tripolis “This variety is ideal for [email protected] Amasca, 7 Fifehead smaller plots or even in a well-watered Carrot Oxheart “A snub nosed Cottages, Salisbury Lane, container. Producing green/cream striped variety, which will grow well in containers or You’ll ﬁ nd our “Don to earth” prices throughout the fruits in abundance, ‘Cocozelle’ will keep shallow soil. Sweet and tender, ‘Oxheart’ is Middle Wallop, Stockbridge, you in courgettes all summer long. The a quick grower with less foliage than you’d Hampshire, SO20 8JN catalogue, including on our “Gardening Essentials” - those fruits are sweet and nutty, perfect for expect from the size of the root, and it’s an Tel: 01264 781684 MEMBERS IMPORTANT NOTICE items of equipment that no gardener should be ithout! picking very young”. excellent keeper.” E-mail: [email protected] 15 seeds 43 97 31 £3.00 200 seeds 43 41 19 £2.50 There is a request from the Trustees of the National Executive Committee that any member not wishing to have their names and personal contact details appearing in NVS media, such as Directory, website or Simply Vegetables should contact the National Secretary. This will mainly affect NVS Officers, …to whom all articles for inclusion in the Judges and Lecturers and there have been cases where members have received unwanted email, where potentially their address has been obtained magazine should be sent. January 2017 from NVS media. Call 0844 967 0303 to request your Free Ne Seed Catalogue 2017 QUOTING NVS17 The NVS does have an annual certificate of cover from ICO (Information Commission Office), which can protect its members from unauthorised contact edition – deadline for submissions to by individuals and organisations acting without NVS permission. Action can and will be taken against such activities on behalf of the member if required. Kelvin: 14th November 2016 The Trustees are always seeking ways of reducing running costs of the Society and improving the services and information provided to its members. One 10% discount ill be applicable for all NVS Members excl. P&P such way is attracting on-line advertising from carefully screened, reputable and relevant companies in the horticultural sector with paid-for advertising simplyvegetables 3 in NVS media and also support of other activities through sponsorship. Where such companies request reciprocal membership data for the purpose of Lines open 24/7 or go online at .dobies.co.uk Oﬀ er ends 31th December 2016 direct mailing, the Trustees will consider each case on its merit and release the data if appropriate. If any member does not wish to be added to these data please contact the National Secretary. David Thornton FNVS, National Secretary

NVS OTP Dobies 26/8/16.indd 1 25/08/2016 09:19 Kitchen Garden and the National Vegetable Society – contents together helping the nation to grow better vegetables Kelvin’s Comments...... 6 From the Kitchen by Linda Hargrave...... 11 Getting started in the greenhouse – Part 4 by Kelvin Mason...... 12 Letter to the Editor...... 14 Obituaries...... 16 Potato Blight and Scab by Derek Brooks FNVS...... 18 Alternative growing methods by Ian Stocks and Tom Berwick...... 20 6 Growing Pears by Gerry Edwards FNVS...... 23 Jersey Association show by Collette Bisson...... 26 Judging Salad Crops by Kelvin Mason...... 28 Seasonal Jobs by Derek Brooks FNVS...... 32 History of the Barber Cup and Gold Medal by Nick Anderson...... 36 Norton Priory Quince Collection by John Budworth...... 38 18 Mick’s Corner by Mick Poultney FNVS...... 40 Thompson and Morgan by Kelvin Mason...... 42 “It’s in the Breeding” a day at Tozer Seeds by Barry Newman FNVS...... 44 Scottish Branch...... 47 Northern Branch...... 51 26 Midlands Branch...... 54 Southern Branch...... 56 Welsh Branch...... 61

Competition terms and conditions Competitions are open to all UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding employees or agents of the associated publishing company and their families. One entry per person. The prizes and giveaways are as specified on the relevant pages. No cash alternatives. Entries must be via post or email as stated (no purchase necessary). Illegible entries and those that do not abide by these terms and conditions will be disqualified. No responsibility is held for entries lost, delayed or damaged in the post, proof of posting is not proof 38 of delivery. Your details will be processed by Crest Publications (publishers of Simply Vegetables magazine on behalf of the NVS) in full accordance with data protection. Crest Publications may wish to contact you with information of other services we provide which maybe of interest. Please indicate on your entry if you DO NOT wish to receive such information by post, phone or email. The decision of the judge is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winners will be notified by phone, email or post, a list of winners is available on request from Crest Publications, 1 Rothwell Grange Court, Rothwell Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN16 8FB. www.nvsuk.org.uk Published by Crest Publications, 1 Rothwell Grange Court, Rothwell Road, Kettering, Northants NN16 8FB Telephone: 01536 317000 • Email: [email protected] 47 The views expressed by the authors/contributors are not necessarily those of the editor, the Society, or its officers.

simply vegetables kindly sponsored by

visit www.kikkadigga.com see our advert on page 30 61

4 simplyvegetables Membership Renewals/ New Trustee Gift Aid for 2017 appointments at the AGM September Members will note that included in this the relevant payment as soon as possible, 10th 2016 Issue is the 2017 Membership renewal so that the Branch Membership lists can be form, colour coded for their specific updated for the 2017 Membership Year. The following new Trustee appointments Branch. Unfortunately, although reported at In addition, those Members who kindly were elected and confirmed at the AGM the 2015 AGM, it has not yet been possible allow the Society to reclaim Gift Aid on their on Saturday September 10th 2016 to introduce an option of renewing via subscriptions, which is a valuable additional Direct Debit, although it is being actively source of revenue for their specific Branch, Chairman investigated. It is hoped that this will are requested to also sign and return the Gift John Branham FNVS available early in 2017, but will only be Aid section of the renewal form, especially if Vice Chairman available via the NVS Web-site. they have not re-signed the declaration since Grant Cathro FNVS Branch Membership Secretaries would 2011, to ensure our records meet current General Secretary appreciate prompt return of these forms, with HMRC requirements. Fiona Shenfield If Members have any queries regarding Treasurer their renewals, please contact your relevant Denis Barry FNVS Branch Membership Secretary. Those Members who have recently joined Please give them your full support the Society since June 2016 for 2017 should in moving the Society forward in the ignore these renewal forms. future

John Branham receiving the Exhibits at the 2016 National Championships Exhibits at the 2016 National Championships Chairman’s Chain of office.

50th Wedding anniversary

Members who attended the Society’s National Championships Show in the great glasshouse in the National Botanical Gardens near Carmarthen in South Wales were pleased to see our National President and his Wife Gwenda attending this, one of the society’s most prestige events, on the actual day of their 50th wedding anniversary. This really is dedication to the Society and members showed their appreciation, later on that evening at a social event organised by the Welsh Branch, when Medwyn was presented with a small gift and his wife Gwenda presented with a bouquet of flowers by the Chairman of the Welsh Branch Arwyn Edwards and his wife Gill A full and detailed report on the national championships in wales will be available in the next edition of simply vegetables magazine.

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simplyvegetables 5 Kelvin’s Comments The observant both the best for the future and hope they June / July thus beating the cabbage white readers amongst continue to play an active role in the society. caterpillar. This has worked very well for you will have As there are no Chairman’s Thoughts the last three years giving me good crops noticed there are this gives me more space to rant and and no caterpillar damage and I freeze as no Chairman’s moan and tell you how good my crops much as I can for later in the year. This year Thoughts in this have been this year! Us growers are never it got to April and I was short of space in the issue; this is owing happy either it is too much sun (drought) greenhouse and more importantly the plants to at the time of or too much rain (waterlogging or flooding). were getting too big for the pots they were putting it together As some contributors in the branch news in, repotting was not really an option owing to we did not have a have commented it was a cold wet spring; the lack of space so I decided to plant them chairman. Hopefully this caught me out as I sowed too early on the allotment and cover with polythene by the time you (the mild winter fooled me!) and had a poor cloches until the weather warmed up. This are reading this in germination with my early sowings. We then went well until the warm spell came and I left October we will had a bit of a warm dry spell, interspersed the cloches on too long, the plants got too have elected a chairman at the AGM in with some heavy showers. Although the dry which checked them resulting in small Wales. showers were welcome much of the water curds. In the end I got a reasonable crop but We have recently lost a couple of Trustees was lost before the plants had chance to nothing like as good as previous years. and I would like to thank both David Allison make use of it. So what went well, at present I grew two cultivars of potatoes this year, and Ian Stocks for their services and time (hopefully not speaking too soon) my onions, one being Sarpo Mira which I have grown given to the NVS whilst they were trustees. leeks, sweet corn and main crop potatoes for the last few years owing to its blight I am told they will both be continuing in are looking good. I picked my first crop of resistance – which worked very well this various roles within the NVS which is good asparagus from plants I grew from seed and year. The other cultivar was not resistant as it means we will still have their expertise look forward to more next year. I also had a and succumbed to blight in Early July, I was available. They have very good crop of a bit slow in cutting the haulms off but lifted both made a major broad beans both them at the end of July thinking I would beat contribution to the indoors and outside the slugs. There is no blight damage on the NVS in recent years; Although the showers were and the early lettuce tubers but the slugs definitely got there first David was the first cropped well. What with a number of tubers damaged. Also editor of the Simply welcome much of the water about the not so owing to the short growing season they are Vegetables and made it good! Starting with smaller than normal. Moving onto the carrots the magazine it is and was lost before the plants had the cauliflowers, these have been a real problem this year, then became chairman. over the years I the first sowing did not germinate most likely Ian is the chairman of chance to make use of it. have sown these owing to cold soil temperatures I mentioned the Scottish branch and in October and above. But my next two sowings have not has moved the branch over wintered been much better and I am beginning to forward to a new level which is not easy in them in a cold greenhouse then planted suspect slug damage but have not seen any an area as spread out as Scotland. I wish then out in mid-March and harvested then in sign of them. The beetroot have produced a reasonable crop but have been a lot slower

Photo 1: Parsnips Photo 2: Shallots

6 simplyvegetables Japanese Wineberry than usual. The other root crops parsnip become a troublesome crop to grow. I used to think of plan B for next year. (photo 1) and celeriac are both growing very to grow them at home and got very good Fruit wise the apples trees are heavily laden well and the parsnip has masses of foliage crops but started to get foot rot disease with fruit which I was not expecting as I had so hopefully there are plenty of roots to eat. I (Fusarium) on the roots so I decided to grow a very good crop last year. The pears have have picked my shallots a crop I do not often them at the allotment a couple of years ago. a reasonable crop and I have picked some grow and have dried them ready for storage Here it seems to be a constant battle with raspberries with more to come. I have grown (photo 2). rabbits and pigeons which seem attack the Japanese Wineberries for a few years, and Moving onto the legumes (now in the crop as soon as it appears. I have covered if you have the space I would recommend family Fabaceae!) my runner beans are them with wire netting but growth that pokes them. There does not seem to be any pest or growing well and should start cropping soon through they eat. In the end I achieved a disease problems and surprisingly the birds (August – they were sown late) but peas have reasonable crop from three sowings but need don’t eat them. They are not a heavy cropper

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simplyvegetables 7 but give a good crop over a lengthy period. lighting are questionable at present although on soil solarisation put paid to any chance Well that’s enough about me and my both lettuce and strawberries are grown of a really hot summer, we have had some crops what is there in this edition? We have commercially for early crops and salad leaves warm days down in the southern half of a number of varied articles in this issue of are grown all the year round under lighting as the country but I don’t think enough at a Simply Vegetables and have a guest author, are lettuce in some countries. I feel lighting high enough temperature to give good the head gardener from Norton Priory will become more important in the future but solarisation. If any of you tried it please let us Museum and Gardens in Cheshire. He has it will only be the growers that want early know how you got on. written about the National Collection of crops or exhibition If you want to avoid Quinces at Norton Priory and the growing quality crops who are reading this type of of them. Quince is a fruit that is not widely likely to use them. waffle in future Simply grown in the U.K but if you have space it is There main use will Vegetables then hope worth a try for something different. be in the propagation It would appear my article in we elect a chairman Gerry Edwards continues his series with of seedlings to give at the AGM or put a fruit that is fairly closely related to the them a good start the last issue on soil solarisation yourself forward in the quince that is the pear. As Gerry says it and in vertical farming near future! Unless is not as difficult to grow as many people / growing; which is put paid to any chance of a elected at the AGM imagine but I must admit to having trouble the growing of crops we also need a vice in storing and lose quite a few that seem to in large warehouse really hot summer... chairman and media ripen and go over in a flash! For those of you type buildings. Look trustee so don’t be who like something a bit different why not at the alternative shy, it will keep you try oranges (photo 6). This tree is growing growing article to see how growing may go in out of mischief! in a greenhouse at Waterperry Gardens in the future; if not for all of us certainly for the The July and October issues are the Oxfordshire, so no excuse not to grow your production of some vegetables. most difficult to fill as you are all out on the own oranges! I have also written a short article on a visit allotment or in the garden but now the longer Derek Brookes is focusing on potato to Thompson and Morgan’s press day giving nights are here please can some of you diseases in this issue covering blight and details of some of their new cultivars and put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and scab, both of which can be difficult to thinking. And I continue the series on judging send in anything of interest from letters to control now that many chemicals have been this time looking at salad vegetables. articles. I cannot have too much as some withdrawn. He also continues his series on Also to show we are not bias towards can be saved until next summer when I need seasonal jobs to keep you busy up to the one seed firm Barry Newman has written an it. Whilst on the subject of articles I was New Year, remember exercise is good for article on a visit to Tozers by the Sussex D.A. reading a book review yesterday on growing you! Tozers are one of the country’s top breeders vegetables on straw bales. Something I had Ian Stocks and Tom Berwick continue the and have produced many of the good not considered before was that if you have alternative growing series in which Tom gives modern cultivars we grow today. I am sure it poor drainage or waterlogged soils this is a a good summary of what they have achieved was a visit that was full of interest and was good techniques as it raises the roots above so far and looking at the next stage. sorry to miss it. the wet soil. Have we any members who In the Getting Started in the Greenhouse Finally on the magazine the pictures in the grow on straw bales? If so I would be very series I am covering lighting; this may be branch news of the displays put up at the interested to hear from you, if you do not feel of more interest to the exhibition grower, various large shows are worth a look. There you could do an article just send me some although some keen growers may wish to are some very impressive stands that look information and I will put together. give lights a go. It is a good excuse to go really professional and are a credit to the And finally although it’s only August when into the greenhouse at night in the winter! D.A’s and members that put them up. I typed this, have a Happy Christmas!! That The economics of growing vegetables under It would appear my article in the last issue even beats the shops!

Orange tree

8 simplyvegetables THE NATIONAL VEGETABLE SOCIETY IMPORTANT!! Branch APPLICATION/RENEWAL FORM GIFT AID DECLARATION Membership Mr, Mrs Ms, Miss ��(name) Name of Charity: Address �� THE NATIONAL VEGETABLE SOCIETY Secretaries. �� REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 1088979 Postcode �� Details of donor: Telephone �� Title: ...... Forename(s): ...... Membership No. if renewal: �� Surname: ...... email: �� Address: ...... Please accept my application for membership of the National ...... MIDLANDS Vegetable Society for the period ending 31st December 2017. I Trevor Last, FNVS, enclose a cheque/postal order/standing order for £ ……………...... Tel: 01603 868316 Payable to The National Vegetable Society Postcode:...... 43 Carters Road, Drayton, Norwich, Norfolk, NR8 6DY New members please complete and return to: Telephone:...... Mr Neil Hope FNVS, 11 Sumner Place, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 1QD e-mail: [email protected] Tel: 01932 844183, Email: [email protected] Email: ...... If renewal, please send to the relevant Branch I want the charity to treat (delete as appropriate) Membership Secretary as listed on the right • my annual subscription • the enclosed donation of £ ……………… MEMBERSHIP FEES • all donations I have made since 22nd October Juniors (up to 16yrs).....£ 5.00 Affiliated Society...... £19.00 2011, and all donations I make from the date of this Individuals...... £17.00 Educational Establishments.. £15.00 declaration until I notify you otherwise. Couples...... £19.00 Society Medal & Card...... £ 7.60 NORTHERN as Gift Aid donations. Mrs Sheila Lewins, Application and payment can be made via the NVS website Signed: ……………………………………………… Tel: 01244 674609 www.nvsuk.org.uk under the “join the NVS” section, where there Date: ………………………………………………… 39 St Marks Road, Saltney, is a renewal form for existing members as well. Chester, Cheshire, CH4 8DE e-mail: DVD TITLE Qty Req’d [email protected] National Vegetable On the Allotment With Stella & Peter Society DVD Order Growing Exhibition Potatoes Form With Sherie Plumb FNVS PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY USING Growing Exhibition Tomatoes With Charles Maisey FNVS CAPITALS AND BLACK INK. Growing Exhibition Shallots With SCOTTISH THANK YOU. Graeme Watson FNVS Fred Stewart FNVS Growing Potatoes With Alistair Grey FNVS Tel: 01224 781309 Your Name:...... Penny Lane, Redmyres, Growing Exhibition Carrots With Portlethen, Aberdeenshire Graeme Watson FNVS Your Address:...... AB12 4RR Growing Exhibition Onions ...... With Jim Williams FNVS

...... Growing Exhibition Celery With Trevor Last FNVS Postcode:...... Growing Exhibition Blanch Leeks With John Soulsby Telephone No:...... Growing Exhibition Pot Leeks SOUTHERN. With John Soulsby Neil Hope, FNVS, Membership No:...... Tel: 01932 844183 An Insight into Vegetable Showing 11 Sumner Place, Addlestone, Date:...... With Trevor Last FNVS Surrey, KT15 1QD Post Completed Order to: Compost Making with Mick Poultney e-mail: Mr G J Francis FNVS, 147 Bull Lane, Eccles, and 2011 National Championships [email protected] Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7HW Tel: 01622 710486 NEW – Growing Exhibition Leeks and Onions with Ivor Mace Email: [email protected] Cost of DVDs = £5.99 each including postage and Growing for Showing 2006 With T Last, packing John Branham & Gareth Cameron 1 DVD = £5.99 2 DVD’s = £11.98 NVS National Show 2007 Malvern 3 DVD’s = £17.98 4 DVD’s = £23.98 National Championships Dundee 2005 WELSH National Championships Pembroke 2006 Mrs Mary Thomas, FNVS Buy 5 DVDs Tel: 01691 780420 Trio of Shows 2005 Fron, LLanrhaeadr, Y.M. get 6th one free TOTAL NUMBER OF DVDs Ordered Powys, SY10 0JJ e-mail: Cheque Payable National Vegetable £ [email protected] = £29.95 Society Enclosed for AMOUNT

simplyvegetables 9 D7AGSV1_Garlic_Layout 1 31/08/2016 14:05 Page 1

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Serving suggestion. Butternut Squash with Kidney Mashed potatoes and a green vegetable such beans and Chick peas as runner beans.

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Roasted 1 Red pepper seeds removed and cut into Heat the oven to 180C chunks Put the vegetables on a roasting tray, vegetables 2 shallots halved or quartered if large. season with salt and pepper. 1 potato or 200 Gms Butternut squash Drizzle over the oil and lemon juice. with Lentils and 1 aubergine cut into chunks. Roast for 30 minutes until tender. 1 lime or small lemon. Grate the zest and Meanwhile rinse the lentils in a sieve and pesto. squeeze juice. cook in the stock. If using a microwave cook 100 Gms lentils on high for 4 minutes to bring to the boil and Serves 2 250 mls veg stock to cook lentils in. then on low for about 20 minutes. Larger 2 good handfuls of spinach chopped brown lentils may take a few minutes longer. 2 tablespoons of pesto When the vegetables are cooked stir in the 60 mls olive oil. pesto, lentils and lemon zest. Add the Spinach, adjust the seasoning and return to the oven until the spinach is wilted.

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simplyvegetables 11 Getting started in the Greenhouse – part 4 Kelvin Mason

Lighting leaf which give the leaf its purple colour. Originally when I Variegated plants with yellow or cream leaves started this series do not contain chlorophyll in the none green on “Getting Started parts, that is the reason why they do not in the Greenhouse” grow as vigorously as an all green plant. I had intended to The colour spectrum of the light is leave this article on lighting until later on, but important as the different colours can have as there have been a number of advances different effects on the plant including in lighting recently and further research is controlling the height of the plant, flowering, ongoing I thought I would do an article now seed germination and leaf size. The amount and an update near the end of the series. It and type of light is important for all plants is likely that by the time I complete the series but is particularly important to plants grown that lighting will have advanced further and in greenhouses; where light levels are lower our knowledge on how to use it will be better. than outside. Before going into Research has Mercury vapour bulb the types of lighting shown that a mix of and how to use it red and blue light I ought to mention Research has shown that a is sufficient to grow what light is from good quality lettuce a plants point of mix of red and blue light is plants, but too much view and why it is blue will produce important. We tend sufficient to grow good quality leggy cucumbers. to see light as clear blue light also has an or white light (visible plant lettuce plants... effect on flowering light) and when and too much blue we look at most will reduce or delay plants they look green which is because the flowering; so it is important to get the right chlorophyll in the leaves reflects the green red / blue mix. light. The light from the sun comes to earth I have focused above on the colour / in the form of electromagnetic waves and spectrum of light but another important we as humans see the spectrum between consideration is the day length or how long is Mercury vapour light 350 and 750 nanometres. This band the light available for the plants. For members covers the spectrum of the rainbow going in Scotland this is a critical point as they have them at night other plants move their leaves roughly from the short waves of blue light shorter days in the winter; so starting crops towards the sun to make maximum use of through to the longer waves of red light. The off early will not have the same advantage the sun’s light. The sweetness and taste of wavelength used by plants is known as PAR as starting early in southern England as in some fruits is affected by light as in bright light – photosynthetically active radiation and Scotland the length of the day is less so they light they will produce more sugars. this is the important wavelength. Over 750 will get less growth. Therefore some form nanometres is the infra-red area which mainly of supplementary lighting can have a big Having considered some of the effects has a heating effect, hence some heaters effect in the northern parts of the country. of lighting lets now look at the types being of an infra-red type. The area between Supplementary lighting is especially useful for of light available and there uses. 700 to 750 nanometres is known as the seedlings as it is easy and cheap to light a Incandescent bulbs, this is the old fashioned far-red spectrum and this is very important small area of seed trays than to light a whole light bulb used in houses and was fine for to plants as it can prevent the germination of crop. It ensures the seedlings get sufficient lighting the home, the problem for the plants some plants such as lettuce. It also seems light to produce sturdier and better quality is that the light is mainly in the red to infra-red to have other effects on plants such as plants and they are ready earlier or quicker spectrum and tends to draw plants up which depressing growth. for planting out. results in spindly growth. They are useful The plants leaves absorb a wide range for day length flowering control that is plants of spectrums from the blue to red including Why is it important to us like the chrysanthemums and poinsettias yellow and oranges, but does not use the vegetable growers? that initiate flower buds when the day length green spectrum which it reflects hence the Well light helps control the earliness of gets to a certain level in the autumn, usually reason we see green leaves. A plant with tomatoes, the size of onions and flowering around 12 hours but in can vary between purple leaves have chlorophyll inside them of some plants, but not all. Some plants different types of chrysanthemums (i.e. earlies but it is masked by other pigments in the will open their flowers in daylight and close or lates). If you wish to make them flower

12 simplyvegetables High pressure sodium lights early you cover them in black polythene to reduce the day length, if you want to delay flowering then light them so the day length is over 12 hours and they will stay in vegetative growth. Mercury vapour lights give a mainly blue light spectrum with some green light which the plant will not use. The mercury vapour lights give off a reasonable spectrum of light for plants and can be used as supplementary lighting for seedlings and young plants during the winter months. The most common form of mercury vapour lighting available is the fluorescent tube types and these can be used both for supplementary lighting and total lighting. There disadvantage in use for supplementary lighting is that the fittings that hold the tube cast a large shadow reducing some of the natural light and they can be quite heavy. They have been superseded by the LED lights which I will cover later. High pressure sodium lights give off a yellow spectrum but the gases inside the bulb can convert some of this to a red spectrum which the plant can make better use. These have been widely used in the horticultural industry for supplementary lighting for a number of years. They are still used nowadays but like the mercury lights are being replaced by the LED lights. LED (light emitting diodes) are the latest form of lighting although they have been out for a few years now they are being widely taken up by the horticultural industry. A lot of research has been and is continuing to be done into the use of these lights (much at Stockbridge Technology Centre near to Selby – a good visit for Northern branch members). LED’s are a good alternative to LED

simplyvegetables 13 both mercury and sodium lights as they have a better spectrum of wavelength and use the electric energy more efficiently which makes them cheaper to use. As well as being used experimentally on wide number of crops they are currently being used commercially to grow tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, strawberries, herbs, leafy greens and young plants (seedlings or cuttings being produced for sale). Experiments have been carried out to see if the lights affect the growth, fruits, brix levels, acidity, electrical conductivity and pH of the fruit. They have also carried out blind tasting tests on the taste and the tasters could not tell the difference between plants grown under natural light or supplementary light. As research progresses it is likely that lights will be developed for growing certain crops or for controlling a particular growth stage of crops. As these lights can be used at nights the can be run on the cheaper electricity tariffs which helps to keep the costs down and if you have sufficient solar panels could Led lights over seedlings power the lights during the day at little or no cost. means they can be used closer to the plants. • Increase in flower percentage The great beauty of LED lights is that This makes them very useful for vertical • Better yields they can be manufactured with a certain growing, a technique we will have to make • Said to improve flavour and nutrient wavelength spectrum to suit particular crops more use of in the future if we are to feed the content. or growth stage of the plant. They can be population on the planet. There are a number of makes of LED customised to produce the best wavelength lights and most manufacturers make at least for the crops you grow to get the maximum The main advantages of LED lighting are: three or four models of bulb / light; so it is plant growth and therefore yield. • Cheaper to run – they use less energy necessary to choose the model that suits the Another bonus of LED’s is that they do • Give a quicker time to cropping crop being grown and the effect you wish to not produce high levels of heat like some of • Plants have more branching / compact achieve. the older lights (this is wasted energy) which growth – useful where this is required

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor, I hope this can help Ron and any other bit of a waste of time, as either the soil has I hope this can help Ron Benfield and his growers. I show my cabbage (Brigadier) clubroot or not, but if the soil only has a problem with clubroot. Thirty years ago I at local shows and regular get first and very low infection it is often possible to get a was telling my late dad about how the bad second’s. Honestly it’s as simple as that reasonable commercial crop. clubroot in my veg patch was affecting to growing decent cabbages and other If any members are interested in having my cabbages and other Brassicas. This Brassicas again. their soil tested you need to send 800gms of was making it not worthwhile growing any Yours, soil to their laboratory. This service has been Brassicas anymore. John Burke set up for commercial growers but if you My dad’s friend said to get some lime and P.S. Could you give me any tips on email the company on moleculardiagnotics@ make a circle around the plant and said that growing pot leeks? eurofins.com they may be happy to do a test it will not burn the roots as long as not too for you. They can also test for soil pH and much is applied. At the end of the day I had Ed. Firstly could any members write a short nutrients as well as testing compost. Their not any alternative but to try it. I make a good article or a letter on growing pot leeks as my website is www.eurofins.com and it will pay circle around newly planted cabbages etc. knowledge on this is close to zero, having you to email and check the cost and what is the lime has absolutely no effect on the roots. never grown them. required so that they can analyse the sample I water the lime in straight away when I water A second point this time on clubroot to your requirements. I have not used the in the plants. there is now a company that can now give company but noticed some information on a For all these years I have not had any a diagnostic test on soil which will tell the website about the clubroot test. problems with the roots of Brassicas and the grower how many clubroot spores there roots on my Brussel’s are giant. is per gram of soil. You may think that is a

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simplyvegetables 15 Obituaries

Mick Walton It is with much sadness I regret to inform members of the very sudden and unexpected passing on 13th June 2016 of Mick Walton of Sligo, one of the founder members of the NVS of Ireland in 2005 and our Chairman from its inception up until now. He brought vegetable growing for exhibition up to a very high standard here, he was the first person to win the Bridge House All Ireland collection of Vegetables at Tullamore Show three times in a row, and was the current holder of the title. Every year he would take the caravan and go over and compete in National Championships in England, Wales and Scotland. Mick was a native of Sunderland, where he received his first introduction to vegetable growing from his father Albert. He initially served an apprenticeship as a welder. After he married Margaret he moved over to his wife’s home in Sligo in the 1970’s. Mick Ken Galbraith, valued hard work and family life, he worked hard harvesting seaweed for the family FNVS business, Voya Seaweed baths and cosmetic products. He grew all his vegetables It was with deep regret and sadness organically using the seaweed as a fertiliser. that the Northern Branch heard of the Apart from vegetable growing his other hobby was long distance running and triathlons, death of Ken Galbraith. Ken was the and was still competing until very recently. He showed many a man half his age a clean pair longest serving member of the Branch of heels. We thought that because of his healthy lifestyle he would be with us for many years Committee. He joined the NVS in 1966 to come, his mother Lilian only died in 2015, so his passing came as a great shock to all who and became a Judge in 1968. Ken was a knew him. Already his absence is being felt on the show scene here. We would like to extend founder member of the Manchester D.A. our deepest sympathy to his wife Margaret, and family at this sad time. May he rest in peace. in which he has held every office. He was Michael Gordon awarded a Fellowship in 1979, a Silver Secretary NVS Medal in 1990 and Gold in 2007. Ken’s Irish DA collaboration and team work with Johnny Woods at Tatton Park Show in producing fifteen RHS gold medal standard exhibits Maureen Robinson FNVS is a truly remarkable achievement and I know that it gave him much pleasure and Westmorland & North Lancashire DA satisfaction. Ken was a dedicated stalwart were saddened to hear of the death of of the NVS and will be greatly missed. Maureen Robinson in April. Maureen had Malcolm Evans been a member of the National Vegetable Northern Branch President. Society for over 25 years and was a founder member of their DA. Over the years Maureen has supported the DA in her quiet reassuring way, she held the post of Bob Ball DA Secretary from its formation in 2004 to the present day. Maureen also served on It is with great sadness to advise that the Northern Branch Committee and the Bob Ball sadly passed away in mid- Lancashire DA Committee. She was always August. Bob, as many of you know, was busy organising speakers, coffee mornings the Welsh Branch President and typified or plant sales to raise funds for the DA or what the NVS was all about. Bob was a charities. Whatever the event Maureen true gentleman with a hunger and passion would be there helping out or providing for always learning, making friends and moral support with her cheerful smile and encouraging words. She was awarded her spreading the word about the NVS. Fellowship in 2009. Bob will be sadly missed. Maureen passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side. She will be much missed by us all.

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NVS 4.16.indd 1 31/08/2016 15:32 Potato Blight By Derek Brooks F.N.V.S. Worsley, Manchester

Potato blight is the most serious disease of potatoes and it also affects tomatoes, peppers and aubergines which are in the same family. It is more common in wet seasons than dry. The disease is caused by a fungus Phytophthora infestans which is spread by tiny fungal spores. These are carried in the wind and usually travel across the country from West to East in late June and July. The disease overwinters on tubers left in the ground after lifting the previous crop or from old tubers on compost and other heaps. The spores require warm, humid conditions to germinate. These conditions Potato blight are monitored by the weather office and can be accurately used to forecast when of the disease without waiting for the spores blight will be a problem. There are two to come in the wind. So try to remove all methods used to determine the correct Potato blight is the most serious volunteers. This is the name given to tubers conditions, one being the Smith’s Period from last year left in the ground. Don’t be which is: disease of potatoes and it also tempted to leave them in by the thought of A ‘Full Smith Period’ occurs when the a few extra potatoes. When digging mine up following criteria are met on 2 consecutive affects tomatoes, peppers and I always miss a few so I go over the ground days:- again at least once more and usually twice to • Minimum air temperatures are at least aubergines... get any that I had missed. 10°C If you have any infected tubers either • Relative Humidity is 90% or above for at dispose in the bin or bury at least 45cm least 11 hours Chemical control deep away from where you are likely to grow The other being the Beaumont period At the time Derek wrote this article there potatoes in the next couple of years. which is when the temperature does not fall were chemicals still available for potato below 10°C and the relative humidity does blight which were used as a preventative Potatoes not fall below 70% for 48 hours. spray when Smith periods were forecast. At Inspect all plants regularly and if, in spite of This information is used by Defra to issue the current time August 2016 there are no taking precautions, you see the first tell tale warnings about late potato blight and this chemicals available to the amateur gardener signs of the disease cut off the haulms so can be found at www.blightwatch.co.uk it is but if any become available I will let members that the spores don’t get washed down into free and can be used by amateur gardeners. know. There are still some for professional the soil and infect the tubers. Don’t put the growers and it is possible one of these could haulms on the compost heap-they are better Symptoms come onto the amateur market bearing in burned. Dig up the tubers before they are The first sign of attack is the appearance mind potatoes are a large crop and so could affected. They won’t grow any more now that of olive brown patches on the leaves and have a good sized market to justify putting the haulms have been cut down. Practice stems, these turn brown as the disease the chemical forward. Ed. good hygiene by not leaving any haulms or progresses. Eventually the leaves wither and even odd leaves lying about. die and the spores travel down the haulms Other preventative measures washed down by the rain and enter the soil Because the disease does not normally Tomatoes and infect the tubers. Infected tubers show appear till late June or July, early maturing The symptoms on tomatoes are similar to brownish patches and rot when stored. cultivars are harvested before the disease those on potatoes-brown patches on the Many years ago, I used to grow my attacks and a reasonable crop can be leaves and stems which eventually wither vegetables in the back garden of a friend and achieved. In the East of the country they can and die. The fruits also develop brown, soft never experienced potato blight. However, the be left a bit longer than in the West. So from sunken patches which spread making them first year that I got an allotment (15 years ago) this point of view these early cultivars are the unusable. These patches normally start at the I was not expecting this disease and the whole best ones to grow. stalk end of the fruit. You need to distinguish crop was affected. Since then I have used Another point to remember is that the this from another tomato problem called preventative measures to control the problem. disease can overwinter in tubers left in the “blossom end rot” which also causes a dark ground. You will then have your own source sunken patch . In this case the patch is at

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18 simplyvegetables Trichoderma which Blight resistant cultivars is applied to the Another way to prevent the disease is to grow resistant cultivars and crop and inhibits the these are some that the suppliers claim to show some resistance. growth of the blight fungus. Put simply Potatoes it is a good fungus Second earlies used to control a Maris peer (D,S,M) Nicola (B) Hunter (M) bad fungus. There Maincrops are different strains Sante (F) Cara (D,S) Valor (D,S) Sarpo Mira (B,F) on Trichoderma Salad potatoes and these strains Juliette (M ) produce antifungal Tomatoes Blight on tomatoes metabolites which Losetto (M,B,F) Ferline (B,F) Lizzano (D,S) inhibits the growth the opposite end of the fruit. Blossom end of different disease Key to suppliers rot, unlike blight, is not a disease. It is caused fungi. It is a case of D= Dobies, S=Suttons, M= Marshalls, by faulty watering, allowing the plants to dry isolating the right B= D.T.Brown, F= Mr Fothergills out which inhibits the supply of calcium to Trichoderma for the the fruit. disease that needs Blight is more common on tomatoes controlling and then bulking it up to a level potatoes, which then showed increased grown outside than those grown in that can be sold. Trichoderma is already sold resistance to P. infestans. This approach is greenhouses. for use by amateur gardeners for controlling unusual in that it operates on the outside Ed. At present there is research looking various diseases including Botrytis and of the plant cell. Previous efforts to identify at a biological control of late potato blight Fusarium, but it may be a different strain that resistance mechanisms have aimed to (it’s nice to know we are not the only ones will control potato blight. help potatoes identify and repel intruding with blight problems!). They are looking at The section below was reported in organisms within the cell. Phytophthora the use of an antagonistic fungus called Horticulture Week last year. mutates rapidly and can therefore avoid Dr Klaas Bouwmeester a plant pathologist being recognized, Bouwmeester explained. at Wageningen University in the Netherlands He will now look at combining this new discovered a new mechanism that increases kind of resistance with existing resistance the resistance of potatoes to late blight proteins in the plant cell, he added. “In that They are looking at the use of (Phytophthora infestans). He discovered that way, we create two lines of defence against the protein LecRK-I.9 had a role in disease Phytophthora.” Hopefully in the not too an antagonistic fungus called prevention in the model plant Arabidopsis. distant future we will have more resistant This plant is often used in experiments as it cultivars and it may be possible to insert Trichoderma... is quick and easy to grow. He transplanted these proteins into existing cultivars and give the protein from the Arabidopsis into them resistance to late potato blight.

Potato Scab Potato scab By Derek Brooks F.N.V.S. Worsley, Manchester

Scab is caused by a soil borne bacterium which attacks the surface because you have of the tubers causing raised scabby patches with ragged edges; to buy the compost in bad attacks they almost cover the whole tuber. If the bacterium to grow them in. You is present it begins to attack as soon as the tubers are forming. can buy special bags; It is most prevalent on dry light soils which are lacking in organic to use in these bags I plant matter. The rest of the potato is edible after peeling so the yield is three potatoes. I don’t fill the bags with not significantly affected. Potato scab is caused by Streptomyces compost right to the top but keep adding more as the potatoes grow. scabies and some other closely related bacteria and slime molds. I also grow some in large buckets and tubs. The number of potatoes I plant in each depends on the size. Prevention The bacterium is most active in alkaline (limey, which have a high pH) Resistant cultivars soils so the first essential is not to add any lime to the potato bed. It Another thing we can do is to grow resistant cultivars. The following is also important to keep the bed well watered and watering should are cultivars which the suppliers claim to show some resistance. start when the tubers start to form, this is when the plants start to flower. The other thing to do is to add as much organic matter as you Salad cultivars Second earlies can when digging. Use well rotted manure or garden compost (not Anya (most suppliers) Vivaldi (most suppliers) mushroom compost because this contains lime). Fresh lawn mowing Charlotte (most suppliers) Maris Peer (D, S, M.) will help and I always put a thick layer at the bottom of each trench Harmony (M) when planting .The theory is that as the lawn mowing’s rot this hold First earlies Nicola (F) moisture and also slightly acidifies the soil both conditions that the Arran Pilot (most suppliers) Gemson (D, S,) bacterium does not like. Rocket (most suppliers) Soil-less compost Foremost (most suppliers) Maincrop Even though I take the above precautions I rarely get potatoes King Edward (most suppliers) completely scab free. Apart from growing potatoes for the kitchen I Vales Sovereign (B) also grow some for exhibition. I grow these in buckets or bags of soil- Jelly (B) less compost and the skins of these are nice and clean with no scab at all. No judge will look at scabby potatoes twice! This therefore is a Key to suppliers good alternative if your soil is so badly affected that you have difficulty D =Dobies, S= Suttons, M= Marshalls, in getting scab-free potatoes. They are more expensive though B= D.T.Brown,F= Mr Fothergill

simplyvegetables 19 Alternative growing methods – part 3 By Ian Stocks & Tom Berwick, Premier Hydroponics

Well we have had almost a year working vegetables, tomatoes, chilies and others out with any question or query on growing. with Premier Hydroponics on trying some grown for eating prove it as well. However So over to Tom…………… alternative growing methods. Tom Berwick not everything is perfect! We tried to grow all Before I even remove a seed from its has been the main guy when it comes to the veg without resorting to any type of insect packet, I make the very conscious decision the onions however a big thank you is due control – yes it seems mad but that’s what an on whether I will be growing organically or to Gavin, who owns the company and all experiment is all about – to see how far we synthetically. The former requires a growing his staff for their time and effort in making could go. medium capable of harnessing huge what is now a very strong and robust Towards July they started to suffer badly populous of micro-life to help break down partnership with the Scottish Branch. from pests. So next year a programme organic matter into elements which the plant We have benefitted tremendously from for insect control is a definite, even in an can then use as food, whereas the latter their knowledge and their efforts to promote enclosed environment requires no micro the NVS, and hopefully we have given such as we were life at all, ionic form them something back – which is what a using. Climate control nutrition is simply partnership is all about – working together maybe a bit warm So exciting times ahead with fed directly to the for the benefit of our members and Premier. but that can be easily roots, normally from a Tom’s arm has been twisted for his thoughts rectified. Lighting the knowledge that we have all concentrated bottled on the onions. However, before that, what probably ok but can solution, then diluted have we learned? be tinkered with. gained to see what is possible. to suit the required Well I for one have learned that alternative Soil structure for the growth stage. On this methods of growing, including hydroponics veg grown that way; occasion, I chose to are a serious mainstream method. They are probably needs a bit of thought to improve it. do 2 organic onions, 2 onions in coco and not as some commentators would have you As you will read from Tom below next year 1 in a drip feed hydroponic system, with the believe a black art of growing nor should we is already started! So exciting times ahead seeds being kindly donated by Alistair Gray, be looking down our nose at them. with the knowledge that we have all gained from his quality bred seed batch. The experiments we have been carrying to see what is possible. Gavin and his staff I planted them on 17th September last out show that it is possible to produce are some of the most knowledgeable and year and pulled them on 27th July this year, exhibition and quality vegetables using their enthusiastic that I have ever came across all were looking a little worse for wear but methods. The pot leeks (Photo 1) at 17 and a and they give everyone a warm welcome if that’s excusable when we saw how many half inches and long leeks in June at 9.5 x 14 you do drop in. If you can`t give them a call or mites, bugs and larvae, had quickly taken prove that. The large range of quality salad an email – they will be delighted to help you them over as a new home. Even though our

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 6

20 simplyvegetables an issue. Temperatures will remain steady at around 22 with lights on, 18 with lights off. They will be bathed under a mixture of high pressure sodium (orange light) and metal halide (white light) for 18 hours a day. This should give a balanced spectrum somewhere close to the sun’s rays. Even though the coco onions ended up the smallest of the five, I have opted to grow 2 in coco with complete mineral fertilisers; the brand has not been decided yet as I don’t completely trust the ratio of elements is entirely correct for an onion, maybe a project one of our sponsors can help me with? I will also attempt to grow 2 in the same organic bed as last year, needless to say it is composting as I write (photos 3 &4) this, with over 5 litres of charge added to the 150 litre bed, 1kg of worms, 20 litres of compost tea made from various products we sell and many percolators worth of the world’s finest coffee beans, most of which were enjoyed by Ian on his weekly visit. I sincerely hope it will do the business! One strange outcome from the last try was the fact the 2 biggest onions had the Photo 3 Photo 4 smallest roots,(photo 5) I literally pulled it from the earth with little to no force whereas the grow room is indoors, it seems it will still be throughout?’ It seemed no one could answer coco onions comparatively needed a great a task to keep pests at bay with the public whether it could be 6 months or 3 years, but deal more persuasion to remove them from having open access, I also think the dead the trial gave us at least some sort of answer, their home, Ian agreed on this one, oddly. I leaves on the onion at the latter part of the and the evidence suggests it will be difficult could spend the next 6 months researching cycle attract one type of bug and the next to make it go longer than one year without the internet to find an answer as to why thing you know a whole web of life is forming! problems. this phenomenon occurred, or I can blame However I think we did quite well, 9lb Next time I’ll give myself a better chance the seed and move on, the latter being 8oz (Photo 2) being the heaviest without of success, starting with Peter Glazebrook’s the obvious choice. For those who have removing any leaves prior to weighing, and seed, Joe McKenzie kindly handed me them Facebook, regular updates will be posted on this one was grown organically, with no on a trip to steal some tips last year. Planted the relevant discussion groups and I shall try mineral fertilisers, no pesticides, nothing on 1st of August, the first seedlings to show to be a little more scientific with my results synthetic at all. I simply used an organic peat themselves came on the 6th, these onions next time. Onwards and upwards mixture we sell, mixed in a load of Charge, can hopefully be pushed to their limits before Tom Berwick, Premier Hydroponics (photo 6) some Xtreme Mykos and used the warm weather sets in and pests become compost tea from then on in, along with a little Canna bio at the start. Going a little off topic for a moment, I find it difficult to comprehend why some growers choose soil, compost and peat mixtures as their preferred growing medium, it is the perfect home for microbes, – They’re attracted to it like a bee to a flower! Then they go on to use deadly products to kill micro life and then fertilisers with all available nutrients to feed the plants. Wouldn’t it be easier to choose an inert growing medium to begin with where micro fauna find it more difficult to breed such as pebbles or coco? That way you can use H2O2 or any other sterilising products from the start and never have to worry about any bugs? No? just a thought! Anyhow, the hydro onion came in third, just behind the organics by a pound or so, not bad considering it had suspected botrytis about 5 months before harvest .I personally think I stopped the deadly disease in its tracks by changing the feeding schedule from once per hour to once per day, but Ian doesn’t believe me, even though he said himself, ‘that’s botrytis Tom, definitely botrytis’ then one month later to say ‘no way was that botrytis Tom’, I mean who do I choose to believe from these conflicting opinions, Ian or Ian?! We did answer some questions but created many more, the most important for me being ‘how long does an onion live if suspended under the same conditions Photo 6

simplyvegetables 21 CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

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Unfortunately there two main rootstocks available (which are has long been a not too dissimilar in their dwarfing ability) – fallacy that pears Quince A and Quince C – and I generally are not easy to recommend that Quince A is used on all but grow in the garden the best soils. Whatever you do please do or allotment, they not be tempted to plant pear trees on a pear will only ripen in rootstock as it is this rootstock which gave the warm south of rise to the saying “plant pears for your heirs”! England, they are This rootstock has no dwarfing effect and will really best grown in allow the tree to grow to its natural height – the warmer parts of Europe and that they which is tall – and upright which exacerbates will produce tall trees rather than fruitful the effect. It is probable that if you planted small ones. Well I can assure you that pears a maiden today on pear rootstock it could are just as easy to grow as apples and be twenty plus years before you see the first plums and that providing some protection fruits! – where necessary – is given to the trees As far as pollination is concerned it is during flowering time best to assume – as pears flower a that all pears few weeks earlier need pollinators. (Photos 3 & 4) than As far as pollination is Although the varieties apples which means Conference and that they are more concerned it is best to assume Fertility Improved susceptible to frosts are considered to and cold winds – and that all pears need pollinators. be partly self-fertile the variety is sensibly the crops that they chosen there is no achieve without a reason that dessert pears cannot be grown pollinator are often very disappointing and and ripened in the majority of Great Britain. of a poor quality. Growing pears as cordons Pears can be grown in many ways – half will always allow you to grow more than one standards, bushes, spindles, cordons and variety and overcome this problem. espaliers (photos 5 & 6) to name but a few The season for pears is much shorter than and it is the latter two that I recommend for for apples and without refrigerated storage gardens and allotments as it allows more it is unlikely that most dessert pears will last to be grown in a smaller space. Unlike much past the end of February (although apples there is a limited choice of rootstocks some culinary pears will last much longer) suitable for growing pears which makes but before I start I must give a warning about life considerably easy. Currently there are pears, particularly the early pears. When

Photo 3 Pears in flower Photo 4 Pears in flower

simplyvegetables 23 Photo 6 Espalier pear pruned winter

with a slight musky flavour but can be a little gritty near the core. Although it can be ready as early as the beginning of August in a hot summer, it is more often ripe by the middle of August and perhaps a week or two later in the far north. Photo 5 Pear cordons Although Williams’s Bon Chretien is widely available this is one dessert pear pears ripen they do so very quickly and Christmas; nevertheless I must emphasize that you should grow in the garden or within a very short time – sometimes only a that pears seem to have a mind of their own allotment because it is picked far too early matter of a few hours – they go very soft and when it comes to ripening and so I regularly commercially (like Cox’s Orange Pippin) and mushy and become completely inedible. It is check to ensure that any ripening fruits are put into cold store before it has any chance essential therefore to catch them just before quickly removed or the rest will quickly follow! to develop its flavour. It can often be ready to or as they ripen or you will not be eating I noted earlier that there is a good range eat in mid/late August in a warm summer and them! It is therefore important to pick pears of pears available and whilst there is not the it is a quality pear most suitable for growing before they ripen and let them ripen under a space for a long list I will mention those that in gardens and allotments. Although it is an very careful eye – indeed this, in my opinion, I have experience of and that I thoroughly English pear by origin it is grown all over is the only way to enjoy pears. I can hear recommend for the garden particularly in the world – probably the most widely grown you asking – how do I know when a pear is terms their suitability for an organic regime. – most particularly in the USA where it is ripe? There are two main tests here – first of With the exception of William’s Bon Chretien known as Bartlett. It is a heavy cropping tree all there is a very slight change in colour – I am not going to recommend any of the and is a fairly moderate grower and it flowers usually to a yellow colour and secondly the varieties generally available in our shops at the late enough for it to be suitable for colder end of the pear by the stalk has a little bit beginning simply because you can already areas. Unfortunately it can be somewhat of give. By the time a pear smells ripe it is find these commercially and I suggest that susceptible to scab and so it should not be usually overripe. Don’t say that you haven’t you use your valuable space in the garden or grown in the wetter parts of the country. If been warned! allotment for growing varieties that you cannot well thinned the fruits can be of a good size It is possible to store pears but once they usually buy! For those of you who must have and one can form a good meal! The texture start to ripen the process cannot be stopped a culinary pear I will recommend one variety of this pear is very smooth, juicy, sweet and although it can be delayed. The ideal way to although I believe that garden space is best can have a strong musky flavour in warmer store pears is in a temperature of between devoted to the finest dessert pears! summers. 0 and 1 degrees centigrade; however this My first choice is the early dessert pear My next choice is Merton Pride which is a is not very easy for the amateur grower Jargonelle which is considered to be one of large and often very juicy dessert pear which although a refrigerator can be used for a few the oldest pears in cultivation having been is ready during the second half of September. pears. Possibly an old refrigerator can be first noted in 1629. It is a very hardy pear and This pear has a wonderful flavour and a fine kept in the garage and set for a temperature has been grown throughout Britain including texture and is an ideal pear for growing in the just above freezing – lower temperatures may Scotland. It is a good garden pear being garden or allotment as it is not susceptible to cause damage to the fruits. The fruits should relatively resistant to scab. The fruit is of a disease. However, there are two drawbacks be laid on the shelves singly and side by side good size and is very tender and juicy, sweet to growing this pear both of which, in my and this will allow for a regular inspection. However, a refrigerator is not always available nor will it store large quantities of pears so the next best thing is a store which is kept as cool as possible. I personally use a shed as a fruit store which is positioned in a shady position against a laurel hedge. Although it never gets very warm in the autumn months I leave the door open on cool nights shortly before I bring this store into use. Shutting the door in the morning partially seals in the cool air and by the time I pick my pears the internal temperature is fairly constant at about 40 degrees F. Whilst this is not as low a temperature as I would wish it is cool enough to store my late pears until well after

... it is cool enough to store my late pears until well after Christmas Photo 2 Pear Fan – Beurre Hardy

24 simplyvegetables Pear Louise Bonne of Jersey

opinion, are small when balanced against the sheer quality of this pear. Firstly it is a triploid which means that it cannot perform the function of a pollinator – a concern if you are only growing two varieties of pear – and it can be a light cropper in some years. Beurre Hardy Photos (also which is phone 1 & 2) is a good quality dessert pear that was raised in France in the early nineteenth century but it is ideally suited to growing in large parts of Britain as it is fairly hardy and it is a regular cropper. The fruit is of good size and very attractive to look at being often heavily bronze russeted over a yellow green base; it is an excellent pear for the showbench. Beurre Hardy has a very smooth texture, a juicy flesh which is sweet and often aromatic and is ready to eat from the beginning of October. This pear has been Pear Doyenne du Comice noted for occasionally suffering from stony pit but in my experience I have never known it to however – this pear does not tend to exhibit and a true connoisseur’s pear. It is a small be other than 100% disease free! An added the same ripening features as other pears to medium pear that will often keep until bonus to this pear is that the foliage provides and can rot at the core without warning. February and when fully ripe the flesh is good autumn colour. It is therefore prudent to closely monitor slightly pinkish, particularly at the centre, Beurre Superfin is one of the best dessert these pears in store by tasting one every very smooth, sweet and perfumed. This pear pears for flavour and few days from the should be picked as late as possible – often although it is only a end of September as late as November if you can keep the smallish pear it packs onwards. A bit of a birds and squirrels away – and usually well a very good punch! fuss you may think after the leaves have fallen. It is a good pear The flesh has a rich, A bit of a fuss you may think but I can promise you for ripening in succession so that over a sweet flavour with a that you will not be two to three month period from Christmas delicate aroma and but I can promise you that you disappointed when onward it should be available providing cool possesses almost you eat your first ripe storage is possible. This pear can be widely the same quality and will not be disappointed... Beurre Superfin! grown but to be at its best it does need a flavour as Doyenne Thompson’s is an warm growing position. du Comice which is outstanding dessert And finally the culinary pear. Catillac has a very good recommendation. It is usually pear and despite its English sounding name to be my choice here because with careful ready from mid-October but can be earlier was raised in the early nineteenth century in storage and handling it can last until May in a warm summer. One word of warning Belgium. It is ideal for colder parts of Britain when it can be eaten. It is a relatively large as it is very hardy and like Beurre Hardy its pear and should be left on the tree as long as foliage provides good autumn colour; it is possible. As with Merton Pride it is a triploid another fine looking largish pear being a but it is a prolific cropper and extremely pale golden yellow with some russet. The hardy which means that it will grow almost flavour of this pear is very good indeed with anywhere in Britain. It can be a vigorous a melting, juicy flesh with a slight aroma growing tree so it must be regularly pruned attached. In colder parts of Britain it is best to keep it manageable; it is perhaps not the grown in a sheltered area or against a warm best tree for a small garden. wall for the best possible flavour. It is ready I hope that I have persuaded you to to eat from the end of October onwards and experiment with pears as in my opinion there perhaps a couple of weeks later in more is nothing better than eating a luscious, juicy northerly areas. pear especially when it is grown in your own Josephine de Malines is probably the best garden! Photo 1 Pear Beurre Hardy late keeping dessert pear for the garden Gerry Edwards

simplyvegetables 25 Jersey Association show By Collette Bisson

One of the most was sponsored by Marshalls who supplied guess the weight of a cake made by Kelly’s successful the prize vouchers and the Nandor seeds Cakes. This was won by St Mary deputy, exhibitors at sown at a workshop in March. All entrants David Johnson who donated the cake to the the summer used 30 litre containers and received advice Jersey Women’s Refuge. horticultural show on growing, protecting and showing their organised by the carrots. Although some people were tempted Jersey Association to eat them in advance, around 40 sets of of the National carrots made it to the show bench with many Vegetable Society being entered by children and families. was Steve Vibert Proving that youngsters can be just as who won a total of seven classes and also good at growing as adults, judge, Phil took the supreme award for his basket Goldsborough gave first place to three-year- arrangement of mixed vegetables. old Chloe Cameron and highly commended Association chairman, Graeme Le to her sister Lexi (5). Both were over the Marquand won three classes including best moon and celebrated by eating their carrots salad trug and junior entrants came away for tea that night. Second place went to adult with their fair share of successes including Gill Le Breton, last year’s winner and third Heather and Martha Armstrong who won the place to another junior, Isla Lucas (4). class for the best flower and vegetable as Another feature of the show was the well as placing in other classes. annual West fete schools’ competition for The show, which was part of the West miniature wheelbarrows filled with school Parish Fete at Manor Farm, St Peter, included grown produce. Sponsored by the Channel classes for all types of seasonal vegetables, Islands Co-op, the primary winner was Les flowers and cakes with vegetable ingredients. Landes School and the secondary winner The one that proved the most tempting was was Grainville. a spiced butternut squash cake entered by The association also ran a raffle, for which Marion Arnold (see recipe opposite). many prizes were generously donated, and Mia Evans with vegetable elephant There was also excellent support for the two children’s classes with an amazing 180 painted pebbles and animals created from vegetables. Judging these, presented a very hard task for Norah Treanor, but her eventual winners were Ellen Johnson, a year two pupil at St Mary’s School who created a penguin and Oliver Houghton (6) who included a fish in his pebble design. Both received a full set of ‘The Goodness Gang’ soft toys donated by TCC Global and the Channel Islands Cooperative Society. The community fun carrot competition Les Landes School Grainville

Steve Vibert Best in Show Basket

Oliver Houghton with pebble fish Ellen Johnson with Veg penguin Steve Vibert

26 simplyvegetables Results First Second Third Fourth High Commended Best in show Steve Vibert Vegetable basket Steve Vibert Graeme Le Marquand. Salad trug Graeme Le Marquand Steve Vibert Les Landes School.

Vegetable cake Marion Arnold Jordan Dowden Bronwen Garth- Thornton. Collection of fresh Tony Bryant Viv Armstrong David Room. herbs Courgettes Steve Vibert Suzanne Jackson. Potatoes Graeme Le Marquand Steve Vibert Mark Day.

Carrots Graeme Le Marquand Mark Day Steve Vibert; Lexie Cameron.

Beetroot Mark Day Suzanne Jackson Werner Toporis and Pauline Kilduff. French beans Steve Vibert. Runner beans Steve Vibert. Broad beans Steve Vibert Janine Buckley Heather and Martha Armstrong. Peas Warner Toporis Steve Vibert Rosemary Vibert. Rhubarb Beryl Frost Mark Day Lindsey Noble. Lettuce Janine Buckley Beryl Frost Lindsey Noble. Flower and Heather and Martha Janine Buckley Steve Vibert Daniel Vibert. vegetable Armstrong Three blooms Steve Vibert David Room Ilda da Silva. Any other vegetable Steve Vibert Werner Toporis and Janine Buckley. Pauline Kilduff Funniest vegetable Steve Vibert Lorna Greir Mark Day Atkey Smith and Martha Armstrong. Animal made from Ellen Johnson Mia Evans Toby Le Moignan Molly Corbet, Ethan vegetables and Grace du Feu. Collection of three Steve Vibert Mark Day Heather and Martha vegetables Armstrong Fun carrot Chloe Cameron Gill Le Breton Isla Lucas Lexie Cameron, competition Malcolm Colin and Mark Day, Decorated pebble Oliver Houghton Beatriz Vieira Hannah Ramsden Gracie Collins, Declan Ollivier, Holly Huxtable-Cornic Schools mini Les Landes Mont a L’Abbe Helvetia House Grouville wheelbarrow Primary schools Schools mini Grainville. wheelbarrow Secondary

Recipe for Marion Arnold’s Method winning spiced pumpkin Heat the oven to mark 4/180 C. Put the pumpkin flesh into and caramel cake a bowl with 1 tbsp water. Cover with cling film, pierce and microwave on high for 8 minutes. Blend the pumpkin until Ingredients smooth with a hand-held blender. 400g pumpkin or squash, peeled Put the oil, sugar and eggs into a large mixing bowl and 175 ml sunflower oil whisk together using a hand-held electric mixer until thick and 250g light muscovado sugar pale. Fold in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices. Gently 2 medium eggs stir in the pumpkin puree. Spoon the mixture into a 21cm ring 175g self-raising flour, sieved tin, greased. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer can be Three quarters teaspoon bicarbonate of inserted into the cake and comes out clean. soda Leave the cake in the tin for five minutes. Run a knife 1 tsp ground ginger around the edges and turn the cake out on to a wire rack and Half teaspoon each ground cinnamon and leave to cool. ground mixed spice To make the frosting, mix the cream cheese with 4 tbsp caramel. For the frosting Spread this over the top of the cake 200g tub cream cheese and sprinkle with chopped ginger. 397g tin Nestle Carnation V Caramel Heat the rest of the caramel and 60g crystallised ginger, chopped drizzle over the cake. Serve any remaining caramel alongside as a sauce.

Marion Arnold simplyvegetables 27 with best veg cake Judging Salad Crops Kelvin Mason

In this article I will Check the numbers are correct according even higher so it is easy for an exhibitor to lump together the to the schedule and that the calyces are still miscount. Next check the size of the fruit as vegetables often intact (and not stuck on with super glue!). some schedules will state a maximum size or called salad crops The fruit should be firm, soft fruit are a sign the RHS Show Handbook states they should although these that they are aging and are over ripe or been not exceed 35mm in diameter. It is important days there are a picked a while. They should be a round that this is checked as oversized fruit should much wider range shape and still have be marked N.A.S. of plants used in a natural bloom, not Once the size has salads than years polished. Check the been checked, check ago. We have skins for greenback The fruit should be firm, soft the colour, calyces become more adventurous in the range of which is where the are present, the fruits plants we grow and use, possible owing top of the fruit has not fruit are a sign that they are are ripe and firm. to wider travel or the number of different ripened properly and Regarding size there nationalities now living in the U.K. I will ghost spotting caused aging... are now cultivars include the following vegetables as these be a partial infection available which are are most likely to be seen on the show of botrytis. not much bigger than bench: tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, Moving on to the small fruited, cherry and currants so do not down point as too small. peppers and aubergines. Others may be small plums; these have over the last few The tomatoes large group are usually seen in the any other vegetables class years become more common on the show beefsteak types but could be large fruits including radish, salading vegetables bench. Although they are lumped together of other cultivars; they should not be less miscellaneous, endive and watercress. into one group in the RHS Show Handbook than 75mm diameter (another reason for they are three different types of tomato with having a good set of rings!). I grew Ferline Tomatoes their own cultivars. It will depend on the last year which produced some very large This is the major show vegetable in this wording of the schedule whether they are fruit which could be entered in this class; it group and in the “good old days” it was just shown together in one class or separate also produced some small fruit as well! The a case of the greenhouse or outdoor types to classes, which I think will depend on how beefsteak type has a blocky shape and this consider, but nowadays we have: medium, many entries the organisers expect. should be allowed for when judging. The large – beefsteak, cherry, and plum. As well as being shown on a dish of a fruits should be firm, have good colour and The medium being the common indoor/ set number they can also be shown “on the the calyces intact. outdoor types usually of approximately 60mm truss”, with the whole truss being cut from in diameter, this is not an exact size and is the plant and exhibited as they are. When Cucumbers given as guide. The fruit should not be too large the whole truss is shown the fruit will vary in Moving onto the next salad vegetable I will or small but all the fruits should be of an even ripeness from ripe through to still green and look at cucumbers, again these are not size and not too ripe. It can pay to have a set not yet full size. When judging trusses note as simple as they were when you just had of rings to check the size. Tomatoes are now the number of fruits, how many are ripe, and indoor and outdoor (ridge) cucumbers. These available in a range of colours from red, orange, the size of the truss. There should not be any days there are mini and round cucumbers yellow, green, black and striped. The colour gaps owing to missing fruit or poor pollination which can also be shown in the same class needs checking carefully as it can be difficult nor any pests and diseases. (depending on what the schedule states). If ensuring the fruit are ripe without knowing the When judging the fruits on a dish, first having to judge the longer more traditional cultivar, particular the orange types can be check the numbers are correct as sometimes type of cucumbers against the newer mistaken for a poorly coloured red type. the numbers asked for are 12, 15, 18 or shorter types all other things being equal the

Winning tomatoes at Southern Branch Championships 2015

Tomatoe class NVS Champs Sherie Plumbs winning cucumbers 2014

28 simplyvegetables Well displayed cucumbers longer ones should win as there is more skill required to grow these. The fruit (yes like tomatoes the cucumber botanically is a fruit even though they are shown in the vegetable classes!) should be fresh, firm and straight and have a short piece of stem attached. Most cultivars are of a dark green colour although some of the newer cultivars seem to be lighter green. The skins should be blemish free and the diameter of the fruit even for its whole length with a rounded end. They can be shown with or without flowers still attached, if they are still attached this would be considered and advantage. The outdoor cucumbers are judged on the same criteria as above but it is harder to get such good quality fruit.

Lettuce The main vegetable that makes up a salad is usually the lettuce although it is not seen on the show bench as often as the above, which is possible owing to them not being as attractive when shown. Although there are a number of different types of lettuce such Lettuce Lery & Mohican as butterhead, cos, crisp (including Iceberg and Webbs) these are normally shown in one varies depending on cultivar. There are now a class. The other main types are the loose number of coloured cultivars which have red leaf which is made up of Lollo rossa, Lollo leaves but the green types can vary from a bianco, salad bowl, oak leaf and others. very light green to a darker green especially if Lettuce unless they are good specimens they have been fed with a lot of nitrogen. The and are well presented can look a bit of a judge should down point any that are wilting, mess on the show bench, often wilting, dirty damaged and show signs of bolting. or muddy or just pathetic looking specimens The same comments would apply to loose entered to gain points to win the cup for leaf types so I will not repeat them. the most points. Lettuce should not just be cut and plonked onto the show bench as in Peppers warm weather they do not last very long. To Peppers, another fruit, have a wide range ensure they look and stay fresh they should of shapes, size and colours depending on be watered well the days leading up to the the cultivar and stage of ripeness. Peppers show, lift them carefully keeping as much are one of the few fruits that can root as possible and wrap the roots in wet be shown unripe, they can be kitchen towels and then a polythene bag. shown green but when fully . If washing ensure soil is not washed into ripe maybe red, orange, the head, hold the head up right and wash yellow or if a hot chilli downwards before wrapping in a polythene pepper purple. If bag; judges do not like getting their hands shown ripe all covered in muddy soil – well this one doesn’t things being when judging! Once this is done remove any equal they should damaged, poor or dirty outer leaves but not beat an un-ripe too many and then place in a cool bag to fruit. take to the show. Lift as near to show time as When shown possible so they are as fresh as possible. as a single Lettuce are usually shown in pairs and dish the should have the head facing the judge. They exhibit should, should be fresh, tender of good colour which according to Sweet pepper F1 Beju

simplyvegetables 29 The sweet peppers should be large, fresh fruits with a bright shiny skin which is unblemished... the RHS Handbook, consist of three fruits but I have often judged classes with a pair of fruits and they are sometimes seen as a single fruit in the any other vegetable class. It depends on what the schedule states. The sweet peppers should be large, fresh fruits with a bright shiny skin which is unblemished; they should be uniform in size, shape, condition and colour. The chilli peppers should be shown as a dish of six according to the RHS Show Handbook, although I often see them as a dish of three. These should also be uniform in size, shape, condition and colour.

Aubergines Aubergines like the peppers and tomatoes Aubergines and tomatoes are also in the Solanaceae family and are also better grown in a greenhouse or poly- newer ones are the size of a ducks egg and is an aubergine class, although the RHS tunnel to get a good crop. My first comment are white, lighter purple or striped. The fruit Handbook recommends showing three fruits. on aubergines is to watch the thorns when (yes another!) should be large for its cultivar, a In the next article I will cover a group of picking or working on them, there are not good shape with a well coloured and smooth miscellaneous vegetables including celery many but they are vicious! skin which is free of blemishes. The calyces (yes I know it is used in salads), sweet corn There are many new cultivars now of should still be attached and the fruit should and the cucurbits including courgettes, varying size and colour which the judge be egg / oval in shape. They are sometimes marrows, pumpkins and squashes. needs to bear in mind when judging. They shown in the any other vegetable class as will not all be large and purple, some of the a single specimen and as a pair if there

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30 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 31 Seasonal Jobs by Derek Brooks FNVS

October On the allotment some crops will be There are only coming to an end but you should still have two vegetable plenty to harvest. Beans will certainly be past crops that I think their best but I leave some runner beans on are worth sowing the plants for the individual beans to grow outside now and larger so that I can use them for seed. I leave these are broad them on top of a cupboard in the kitchen to beans and peas. dry then open them and take out the beans The usual variety to store in an envelope. of broad beans for The rest of the potatoes should be dug autumn sowing is Aquadulce Claudia (most up and stored for winter use, provided they suppliers). For peas you need to choose haven’t got blight. If they have, bin them for a round seeded variety because they are they won’t keep. Spread them out and leave Garlic growing in pots hardier than wrinkled seeded ones. Feltham them to dry. They can be stored in paper or First (D.T.Browns, Shelleys ) and Douce hessian sacks (not polythene) and they must Provence( D.T.Browns, Shelleys, Dobies, be kept in the dark. You will need to keep Suttons ) are suitable varieties. I have never examining them and remove any that are tried sowing beans or peas in the autumn going bad. I store mine in the large plastic but if you fancy supermarket trays doing so have a go. in our disused coal You will get an earlier shed. They are easier crop next year. Now is also the time to put for me to keep my eye Neither of my on than if they were in greenhouses has a grease bands round the trunks sacks. bed of soil to grow Most of the apples things in but if yours of apple trees. should be ready for or your polytunnel picking and storing Garlic planted has you can make for future use. Like use of it in the winter. The tomatoes, potatoes, only store undamaged ones, cucumbers and other summer crops should discarding any that show signs of rotting. I be finishing so pull them out and put them keep mine in trays in the shed or under the on the compost, rake over the soil and sow greenhouse staging and keep my eye on some salad crops such as lettuce, corn them to make sure they are all still sound. salad and radishes. If you have a lot of green Now is also the time to put grease bands tomatoes put them in a drawer along with round the trunks of apple trees. The purpose a banana skin which will help them to ripen. of this is to stop the wingless female winter They don’t taste as nice as those ripened moths climbing the trees and mating. on the plants in summer but it is better than Crops that can be planted this month if throwing them away, unless you like chutney not done before are onion sets, garlic, spring which is another thing you can do with green cabbage and broccoli. tomatoes. Large clumps of rhubarb can be split Lettuce planted in polytunnel

this month and re-planted. Fork over the ground and incorporate well rotted manure or compost if you can. When chrysanths have finished flowering cut the plants down to about 150mm (6 inches); dig them up and plant them in deep boxes,(I use mushroom boxes), making sure you tie the labels onto the stems. I put the boxes on a shelf in the cold greenhouse. They don’t need any extra heat till next year when we want them to produce cuttings. White rust is a disease that in some years affects chrysanths disfiguring the foliage. I hope that it hasn’t affected your plants this year but it is a good idea to spray the plants at this stage (now called stools) with a good fungicide such as Bio Systhane and spray every few weeks to prevent it. As crops are being cleared, fork over the ground removing weeds if you can. Spread garden compost over the vacant ground which will help to prevent more weeds germinating and enrich the soil (more about compost next month) If you are planning to plant any fruit trees and bushes this winter, order them without Chrysanths boxed up delay if you haven’t done so already.

32 simplyvegetables This is the month when I order all my seeds for next year. All the catalogues drop through the letterbox this month. I first go through the seeds I have left from this year and see that they are all within their “sow by” date and make a list of them. I write all the seeds in a book and keep a record of when I sow them. I look through this list and see which I want to grow again. There are many what I call banker varieties that I grow every year but I also like to try some different ones. All the seeds arrive before the end of November. I don’t sow my sweet peas till spring but they can be sown this month, as some people do, to get earlier flowers next year. If you want to try, sow them in small pots and keep them in a cold greenhouse or frame and plant them out next March. November If you still haven’t planted your onion sets for overwintering, do so as soon as you can before the really bad weather comes. More crops will have finished and need clearing and putting on the compost heap. This will, of course, leave more vacant Dahlias blackened ground. You should make every effort to get it all dug over and weeds removed especially before they seed. Now that many crops have finished, and that includes most of the annual flowers and dahlias, you will have a lot of material for composting. Try to arrange your composting in an orderly way and not just throw everything in a heap and leave it as some people do. On my allotment I have three compost bays made of concrete (see photograph) with removable fronts for access. Before we had these put on our allotments I used to use pallets fastened together with wire. At this time of year with all the fresh material two of the bays are full. Every so often, as the bays are being filled, I add a sprinkling of compost maker (Garotta) to help the rotting down process. In a few months’ time, as it rots down, it will have decreased in volume and will all fit in one

Compost heap

bay leaving an empty one. Every few months I transfer it to the empty bay. This aerates it which also helps the rotting process. No more fresh material is added to this; it is just allowed to rot down till the following winter when it will be ready for use. The third compost bay already contains fully rotted down compost, approximately a year old and ready for use. When vacant ground has been forked over and weeds removed, as suggested above, I spread this compost which helps to prevent more weeds germinating and also helps nutrients from being leached from the soil. It does nothing but good. This is the month when the planting of fruit trees and bushes can begin and can continue any time till next March. If you do intend planting some, I hope you have prepared the ground properly, as suggested Swedes last month. Most fruit trees are grafted onto

simplyvegetables 33 with straw or some other insulating material. It is much safer to dig them up and store them in a frost free place over winter. Also, by doing this you can take cuttings of them in spring. When I dig them up I clean the loose soil from the tubers (don’t wash them), then I knock a screwdriver down the hollow stem and out at the other end which helps to free any trapped water. The label is tied on with waterproof string right round the tuber and not just round the stem because the stem shrinks when it dries and the label would come off. I then stand them upside down in boxes under the greenhouse staging to complete the drying process. You won’t have as much to harvest this month but there should be some, in particular sprouts, celeriac, leeks, kale, parsnips and swedes. December Keen exhibitors will be sowing their large onions this month, and maybe leeks, in a propagator in the greenhouse. If you are not an exhibitor I don’t think it is worth starting so early, January or February is Fruit tree planted with graft union a few inches above ground early enough for most people. I don’t grow my own leeks from seed. I order them a rootstock. You can see a swelling on the back the leaves to a few inches and store from a supplier and this is the month when stem where this has taken place. Dig a hole the roots in boxes of sand. A few at a time I get them. They are in cell trays with 12 plenty large enough for the roots, fork over can be forced by planting them in pots compartments and I transfer them to small the base, and knock a stake firmly in to tie leaving the crown exposed and leave them pots and keep them in the greenhouse. the tree to when planted. Place the tree in the in a warm place. Exclude light by placing a The traditional time for planting shallots hole and check the level. Dig out more soil or bucket over them or an upturned flower pot is the shortest day (Dec 21st). I don’t think put some back in if needed. When planted with the drainage hole covered. the actual date matters but I plant mine the graft union should be at or just above Dahlias will not stand any frost at all. One round about this time. I plant them on the soil level. When this has been checked, start day they will be flowering and the foliage nice onion bed but this bed gets manured, and replacing the soil and tread it down round the and green and when the first frost arrives, not usually till January. I therefore start the tree as you do so making sure that the tree the next day the flowers will be drooping and shallots off in three and a half inch pots (9 doesn’t go deeper as you tread. It is a good the foliage limp and black. This more often cm.) in my frost free greenhouse. They don’t idea to mix some manure as you replace it than not happens this month but if we get a need the extra heat of a propagator –a shelf and also some bonemeal which helps the very mild autumn it may not be till December. in the greenhouse is good enough. They are roots to establish. Then of course tie the tree The foliage and stems should now be cut planted with just their tops showing above loosely to the stake. back to about 150mm (6 inches) and put on the compost. When they are growing well All the feathery top growth on asparagus the compost heap. Depending on what kind and have filled these pots with roots in early plants can be cut down almost to ground of winter we get, and particularly if you live spring I pot them on into 5 inch (12.5 cm.) level and put on the compost heap. in a milder part of the country you may get pots and harden them off in a cold frame If you are growing chicory for producing away with leaving them in the ground. It is a before planting. chicons now is the time to lift the roots. Cut bit risky but if you want to try it; cover them This is the month I give my greenhouses

Empty greenhouse showing propagator and warming benches

Leeks bought from supplier and potted up Soil warming cable in position

34 simplyvegetables Plenty of cabbages a good clean ready for the new season. I When putting the plants back I tidy them up have two greenhouses, one for propagation by removing dead leaves and look out for with staging on both sides and shelves, two slugs under the pots and trays. In the other warming benches, a homemade propagator greenhouse I empty the shelves, sweep and two portable them and spray with propagators. The disinfectant, also other greenhouse has sweep the floor and no staging but has clean the windows. Sprouts doing well this year shelves on both sides. Carry on planting fruit trees Another job I do I completely empty at this time of year is not done last month. Some fruit tree pruning the propagating and bushes if not done last to sort all my canes. can also be done this month. The canes of greenhouse by I have hundreds of autumn fruiting raspberries are cut down to transferring all the month. canes that I use for ground level. Others will begin to grow in plants into the supporting veg and spring. other one. The two flowers. Some are Red and white currants and gooseberries warming benches consist of soil warming still in use on the Brussel sprouts but those I are pruned the same way. The idea is to keep cables between layers of sand. I remove the have used for other crops and flowers have the centre of the bushes open, so cut out sand and replace it with fresh. I sweep the all been removed. I examine them all to make any branches that are growing towards the staging and shelves and the home made sure they are still sound and sort them into centre and prune the others back by half. propagator and spray them with disinfectant, sizes and tie them in bundles. When apples and pears are planted the then sweep the floor and clean the windows. Carry on planting fruit trees and bushes if initial pruning is to train the trees into the right shape. Cut the branches back by half to an outward pointing bud in order to keep the centre open. Apples can be either “spur bearing” where the fruit is formed on short spurs which form on the branches, or “tip bearing” where fruit is formed on the end of laterals. When the trees are established, remove crossing branches and any growing towards the centre. Then with spur bearers prune the side branches to three buds and with tip bearers prune back branches that don’t have fruit buds. Make every effort this month to get on with digging over any vacant ground where crops have been removed, weather permitting of course. You should still have a few crops to harvest for your Christmas lunch –sprouts, leeks, parsnips, swedes and possibly winter cabbage, celeriac and kale. Remove yellowing leaves from sprouts to keep them looking tidy. Root crops like parsnips and swedes can be left in the ground till they are needed. However, when you do want some the ground might be frozen so it is a good idea to lift some before the frost comes and store them somewhere frost free. Shallots potted up

simplyvegetables 35 History of the Barber Cup and Gold Medal By Nick Anderson, NVS, Midlands Branch

This year I had piano accompaniment in Staffordshire – My plot is 36 mtrs by 15 mtrs, and is in the the honour and Tunstall Stoke-on-Trent in1909 – after whom shape of a crescent or half moon. In the privilege of winning the trophy is named. For our younger NVS early years the site suffered the perennial The Barber Cup readers of Simply Veg, a picture palace is problems of most sites at some time, the and Gold Medal. what is known today as the Cinema, without scourge of vandalism. On one occasion my The Barber Cup the luxury of actors speaking, lol. son and I put up a rustic arch only to see and Gold Medal is the most prestigious The 70’s and 80’s saw a decline and lack it cut down and stolen the next night! Not award contested for in the City of Stoke-on- of interest in allotments, culminating in local being put off, in 2001 I went on to win a Trent Allotments Societies and Associations, Councils selling off allotment sites across bronze medal, and third place in the Barber the competition having taken place for over the country as being surplus to requirement. Cup; my foot was on the ladder! Over fifty years. Originally there were over eighty Abbey Lane Allotments has now only 40 the next ten years I had two further bronze allotment sites in the city during and after plots, set in a rural location, surrounded by medals. What was I doing wrong? From the second world war, with Abbey Lane site fields, hedges and woodland on three sides 2004 to 2015, I was placed second with alone, according to the archives, having over and houses on the other. I am happy to say three silver medals, and each time only one 2,000 pigs and 240 plots, spread over a 10 all plots are taken with a small waiting list. and two points being the difference. acre site, hence the fertility of the soil, all This is where I found my peace after a lifetime Officially retiring in 2015, and collecting my doing their bit for the Digging for Victory war of working in heavy civil engineering. bus pass, I decided to give it another shot. effort . None of this would have happened In 1996 I took on my first plot, and there I have always loved my allotment and I do but for one man with fore-sight by the name started my journey towards the Barber Cup. believe what you give to the world, the world of George Herbert Barber, Lord Mayor of In 1998 I moved to a double plot at the north gives to you. This year was as hard as it gets Stoke-on-Trent 1929-30. He was a pioneer end of the site, where I built, with the help of for growing, with a warm start in spring, then in his day, who is titled with opening the first my son Dominic, a clinker built potting shed the late wet summer, and mini heatwave in silver screen silent movie picture palace with and greenhouse, all from recycled materials, mid June, all challenges we gardeners have

36 simplyvegetables to face, but now retired and plenty of time done the trick as far as keeping the dreaded This year, after twenty years, I believe all on my hands, face them I did! Planting my onion fly away. Dwarf French beans (Prince), the love that has gone into my allotment second early potatoes (Charlotte) in April all inter-planted with Tagetes Tangerine came back to me as a shiny Gold Medal and 2016, they were a flower display on their Queen, and Lemon Gem, which I find the Barber Cup, “Thank You Mr Barber”. I own, with their lilac petals and yellow eyes; definitely keeps the aphids at bay; over thirty know now how Andy Murray felt after being runner beans (Stenner), up to the top of 8 different kinds of herbs and a clump of Lucky runner up three times. feet canes, showing off their scarlet blooms, White Heather, something you will have to I would like to dedicate my win to my beetroot (Pablo), onions (Stuttgart Giants), talk about to Mike Davies FNVS!! I must not very dear and late friend and mentor, Arthur parsnips (Gladiator), carrots (Early Nantes) forget my Granddaughter, Lucy, who puts her Wilshaw. of which I planted alternate rows of white love into watering all the flowers, something Warmest Regards Lisbon spring onions which seems to have you cannot buy. Nick Anderson

simplyvegetables 37 Norton Priory Quince Collection John Budworth (Head Gardener)

Norton Priory Museum and Gardens is one of two gardens in the country to hold a National Collection of Quinces (Cydonia oblonga), not to be confused with another plant commonly called a quince which is Chaenomeles. This is in the same family, Rosaceae and is also called Japonica as it originates from Japan; it will have smaller similar shaped fruit. The quince is believed to have been the forbidden fruit which tempted Adam in the Garden of Eden! The National Collections are administered by the charity Plant Heritage and there are now over 600 Genera grown on a number of sites throughout the U.K. and Ireland. Quinces have been grown in the U.K for many centuries and although the fruit are not edible raw as they are very hard and bitter they are used in stews with meat or boiled with sugar to make jams and jellies. The quince plant is a deciduous tree that will grow to between 5 to 8 metres tall naturalised in southern Europe. They prefer disease which affects the leaves causing and looks similar to an apple. If brought a deep, light fertile moisture retentive soil them to speckle yellow and drop, and the from a nursery in and when planting fruit may also fall. At Norton Priory we spray the U.K they are add some manure or with a garlic barrier spray early in the season usually grafted onto garden compost to and then regular after it to help control the a rootstock and this It is perfectly hardy and give the plant a good disease; although some cultivars are more will control the height start. A sunny site is resistant to the disease. to between 4 to 6 requires a cold period to flower preferred. Like intensive apple growing (e.g. cordon metres depending Once they are and espalier systems) the quince is best if on the rootstock. It is properly... established a quince pruned during winter and treat them like tip perfectly hardy and tree generally requires bearing apples. Quinces fruit mostly on the requires a cold period little attention apart tips of the shoots made the previous year to flower properly; the flowers are white to from some crown thinning and they can live and they do not form many fruiting spurs. light pink. Quinces are native to south west to a great age. The one problem that can Prune and train in the dormant season Asia in the Caucasus region but are now occur is Quince Leaf Blight, this is a fungal between late autumn and early spring.

38 simplyvegetables Quince Ludovic

Pruning Young trees For good cropping, prune every winter, shoots especially if very upright and branches The branch framework is developed along when growth can be thinned to improve light showing little growth the same lines as for an apple tree. penetration and air circulation An application of a slow release fertiliser Remove no more than a 25% of the oldest once a year helps maintain good growth Pruning established trees branches, by cutting back to the point of and fruiting. If the summer is dry we water After the fourth year, only light pruning is origin or to a shoot that is well positioned to particularly if the plants are grown against a necessary apart from the occasional removal form a good framework. wall as this soon dries out. of crowding or low-lying branches. Remove crowded branches, very vigorous A new tree can take up to five years to fruit but it is worth the wait! By the time they are eight years old you can harvest up to 15kg of fruit from each tree. Try to leave the fruit on the tree for as long as possible so that it ripens to a golden yellow, but make sure you pick before the first frosts. The quince fruit are apple or pear shaped with a golden yellow skin and has a strong spicy scent. Once they are ready to pick they can be stored like apples and pears or used in stews and persevere. Once picked they can bruise easily so should be handled carefully, they can be kept for up to four months but store them separately from other fruits as the Quince perfume can affect the taste of fruit such as apples. They contain a high amount of pectin which makes it ideal for jams and jellies and is also high in antioxidants so it has many health qualities. Every October Norton Priory holds a Quince & Apple celebration and trees and preserves are available for sale.

simplyvegetables 39 Mick’s Corner

We had a stand at didn’t have gardening at school; we have BBC Gardeners lost two generations of gardeners because World Live at the of this. Gardening should have come onto NEC in Birmingham the schools national curriculum September from June 16th to last year alongside cooking. The only schools 19th, the setting doing gardening are the ones that have up took place on volunteers like me or schools which have the 15th.In photo money. More needs to be done to encourage 1 there is Alf and kids to grow vegetables and pressure needs Colin setting up our to be put onto local councils (lobby your local display. councillor) and the government. Photo 2 shows I am still chasing our local council and the the stand all set up ready for judging. The government on this issue if other members Photo 1 judge gave us a bronze as the display lacked were to do the same there would be more a display of vegetables! I told him it was not pressure on them to change and to find the meant to be a display of vegetables but an money! educational stand on vegetables, but all your Photo 7 Bucks D.A. helped out again, displays are vegetables! He said a display good lads and many thanks. On our arrival of veg does look impressive as long as you on the Thursday, before the show opened have something else to draw in the crowds sadly my mate Colin passed away; I had this after they have looked at the veg. in the mob (navy) and the fire service, losing Photo 3 shows Compost corner which any a mate. It hits me for 6! Running the stand branch or D.A. can use this display; Steve and talking daily I could either knock it all Vibert (Jersey D.A.) does it at the Jersey on the head or blank it out (have done this shows. If anyone interested I will help you before), the easiest way I can get round it; out as I did with Steve. My compost is now so that’s what I did. Sorting out the manning, ready within 3 weeks, and is getting close luckily David Killick (Bucks D.A.) came up for Photo 2 to 2 weeks, this draws in the punters and a second day to help us out, Jean and Sam it is important that we encourage as much Forrester the third day and Roy James (West composting as possible to improve the Mids D.A.) for the last day. Alf Thornhill who fertility of the soil. set up with Colin and myself was also badly Photo 4 our future gardeners, are the kids hit by Colin passing away, and still is. Alf was of today! Because of the cost of seeds I a good asset over the weekend and helped got Moles seeds to donate tomato and chilli get me through it and still is! seeds for the kids to sow; thank you Moles Photo 8 I did a daily stint each afternoon seeds. The drinking cups with our logo on for an hour, there were not enough seats and the kids prick out and pot on whatever as usual! As far as for the number of new they want then take them home with em. I members and goods that we sold, plus the grew my own plants you may be able to get interest on the stand, the weekend was a nurseries to donate. I donated the compost. great success and will be dedicated to Colin, Photo 5 these days most parents haven’t my right hand man. Photo 3 got a clue about growing vegetables as they

Photo 4 Photo 5

Photo 7 Photo 8 Colin

40 simplyvegetables simplyvegetables 41 Thompson and Morgan

In late July I attended a press day could be a good cultivar for exhibiting. organised by Thompson and Morgan the A new Calabrese called Ironman F1 is to seed company that was held at Jimmy’s be introduced for 2017; it has a RHS award Farm in Essex, not far from Ipswich. The of garden merit which is a good indication aim was for them to introduce their new of a quality plant. It is also the number flowers and vegetables cultivars for 2017. one commercial cultivar and has replaced Colin Randel the T & M vegetable expert Marathon (a very good cultivar I have grown ran through their new introductions and a few times). It will produce a domed head below I have mentioned some that may be which if cut the plant will then go on to of interest to members. produce some side shoots that can be The first one is a new broad bean called picked at a later date. It takes about 75 days Oscar which apparently is widely used in from transplanting to harvesting and can be Holland and Belgium and has been grown sown from March to June for harvesting from Potato Jazzy commercially for freezing. It is a small June to October. If you are short of space seeded bean that produces a good number Ironman can be grown at close spacing to of pods that are held upright on compact produce baby heads, so a good yield can be major commercial cultivar plants. Colin suggested it could be useful for achieved from a small area. Again the side which is often a good sign as it means the growing in containers on a patio. shoots can be harvested a few weeks later. growers have achieved good crops from the Moving on to the French beans they have If mildew is a problem Ironman F1 has some cultivar. If you are trying to earn a living from a new climbing cultivar called Mamba which tolerance to this disease so a good crop can growing vegetables you need good reliable has an improved yield over Cobra which be harvested even if the plants have suffered cultivars that give a consistent yield of quality is a widely grown climbing French bean. If some mildew damage. produce for the supermarkets. Boris is said the plants are picked regularly Mamba can Staying with the Brassicas Thompson and to have a vigorous root system, which may yield up to double that of Cobra; which is a Morgan has a new cauliflower out called help it to grow in ground slightly infested with serious improvement in yield. The pods are Boris (well someone had to a name a plant clubroot especially if started in pots to build 15 to 16 cm long and 9 to 10mm in diameter, after him!). This again is a F1 hybrid and also up a good root system before planting. It a mid green colour with a glossy skin so it has a RHS award of garden merit and is a will also grow in any soil and the curds will hold well which is useful for showing. It takes between 85 to 90 days from transplanting to harvesting and crops from July to October. Colin Randel spent a bit of time extolling the virtues of kale which he said is big in the USA owing to its health benefits. T & M produced a smoothie to show an alternative use for the plant and a must say it tasted quite good. Kale can be grown as either a baby leaf crop or as mature plants so is a useful vegetable. Colin said if your aim is to produce baby leaves for salads or stir fries grow the older open pollinated cultivars as the seed is cheaper and you need a reasonable amount of seed over the season. Thompson and Morgan have a mix of four British bred kales suitable for baby leaves and square metre planting. The mix is made up of Black Magic, Red Devil, Pentland Brig and Seaweed F1; these are all hardy and easy to grow. You

Climbing French Bean Cobra

42 simplyvegetables Kale Emerald Ice F1 Kale Midnight Sun F1 will need to take precautions to keep the have a new leek called Northern Light F1 harvested within weeks as a baby leaf crop cabbage white caterpillars off them. The (just for Northern Branch members!). This is a or allowed to grow on to a mature plant for health benefits of eating kale (or drinking British bred leek with good winter hardiness larger leaves and can be grown through smoothies!) include it being low in calories, and for harvesting from December to March. the autumn and winter to give a year round high in fibre and rich in vitamin C. Apparently the foliage will turn a rich purple supply. It is possible to harvest kale from July to in the coldest weather which will give a bit T & M have four new tomatoes in their March if three successional sowings are of colour to the vegetable patch or potager 2017 catalogue; one that is worth a look is made as the plants over winter well and garden. Goldkrone which is a high yielding yellow are perfectly hardy. From transplanting to Going back to the legumes they have a tomato that could rival Sungold on the show harvesting is approx. 85 to 90 days and new pea available called Eddy which is a bench. the leaves should be picked from the base semi leafless type and not too vigorous with Although not new for 2017 T & M were working up the stem. a height of 70cm. it recommending potato Jazzy as a high The top will continue has good Fusarium yielding, good flavoured salad potato. They to grow if it is not resistance and some said it is very good grown in 8 litre bags or removed or picked. mildew resistance and pots and said it was possible to get up to 40 Two new kales This is a British bred leek with Colin suggested it tubers from a plant if grown in good quality Emerald Ice F1 and may be useful for late compost. That sounds a good challenge for Midnight Sun F1 were good winter hardiness and for sowings when peas societies and D.A’s to set as a competition on show, these two harvesting from December to often succumb to pea for their members. plants complement mildew disease. I will For people who do not have a garden or each other in colour March. let members know only have a small area there was a tomato as one has a white in the next Simply called Profusion which is suitable for growing centre and leaf stalk Vegetables as I have in hanging baskets or containers. One plant and the other has a pink purple leaf stalk. just sown some last week-end. will fill a 14cm basket and it will start to crop Sow them April to June and picking can Thompson and Morgan’s vegetable of two weeks earlier than Tumbler. start after 75 days, again starting at the base the year is a rocket called Wasabi which And finally for the exhibitors amongst using the lowest leaves first. They could be they say has a distinct new taste. Rocket the membership there is a re-selected grown as part of a potager garden display or is possible my least favourite vegetable as parsley called Cloud Cover which produces even in large containers on the patio to give a I think it taste more like rocket fuel than a dense foliage which would be very good bit of winter colour and they would be nearby decent vegetable, but we were given a little for decorating on the show bench; it would for picking. sample to taste and for rocket I have also be useful for decoration when Moving on to the allium family T & M to say it tasted pretty good. It can be cooking.

Calebrese Ironman F1 Parsley Cloud Cover

simplyvegetables 43 “It’s in the Breeding” a day at Tozer Seeds

Earlier in the summer the Sussex District only in plant breeding but for the supply of Association and guests from across the seed to both commercial growers and the south had the privilege of spending a day country’s seed houses. Today the company with Tozer Seeds at their base in Cobham, has permanent workforces in the USA and Surrey. Spain as well as the UK and sources its seed Show growers will immediately associate from all over the world, but principally France, the name Tozer with the ‘Gladiator’ parsnip Chile, Italy, China, South Africa, Australia as and its breeder Dr Peter Dawson, now the well as the USA and Spain. Chairman of the company. Founded in 1939, From its humble beginnings the company Tozers is the largest independent plant now earns over 55% of its turnover from customer market in the UK, it is not breeding company in the United Kingdom. exports and currently sells to over 50 surprising that only 10% of turnover is Initially a local company, by the late 1970’s countries worldwide. Given the international realised from the domestic hobby gardener the company was a household name not nature of the business and the commercial through the high street seed names. Tozer are clear leaders in plant breeding and seed expertise, and they are very proud of their achievements. We were therefore very pleased to have Nick Forsyth, Trials Officer and Jamie Claxton Director of Plant Breeding as our guides for the visit. Our day started in the seed testing area where germination, purity and disease resistance is tested. It was interesting to note that even when seed is sent away to be coated or pelleted it is retested for viability. Different types of seed are kept in appropriate humidity and temperature controlled conditions and certain seeds like their second best seller, Celery, is primed and dispatched in chilled conditions to maintain quality. On the subject of best sellers, no surprise to learn that it is Parsnip but not Gladiator! It’s Javelin that takes the honour with Celery Monterey and Victoria second and third. We then moved to the growing areas under polythene and glass to view the Seed heads maturing maturing crops. A totally different experience

Nick Forsyth with a bag of coated Jamie Claxton explaining seed ready for distribution the use of flies for pollination

44 simplyvegetables to the neat rows of vegetables one sees under glass at salad producers where Tozer Seeds send seed everything is pristine under vigorously to space station to controlled conditions. Here we had an array help science mission of crops in their flowering and reproductive Tozer Seeds have donated 2kg of salad stage looking far from pristine but obviously rocket seed to help the RHS and UK highly managed. Polythene bags everywhere, Space Agency conduct an experiment sticks with tags were in profusion as were with thousands of schools. tables of seed heads laid on white fabric. In September 2015 2kg of rocket seeds As with any NVS visit the questions were flown to the International Space came thick and fast and both Nick and Station where they will orbit the Earth until Jamie were very much kept on their toes. March 2016, when they are due to return Their knowledge of the processes involved with NASA astronaut Scott Kelly. in all the stages of seed production and In April this year, up to 10,000 schools distribution was excellent, but one answer will grow and compare the seeds flown to in the future. Results will be collected and was particularly informative and of great space with seeds that have stayed on Earth analysed by biostatisticians and published interest to our members, that of creating as part of the nationwide experiment. later in 2016, feeding into the real life work a leek hybrid. Rather than me trying to Visit www.youtube.com/ going on in space science research. explain, I asked Jamie if he would let me watch?v=7OgSJKqDRFk to see Tim Peake Two additional suites of resources (aimed have a written answer as well as his excellent talk about the initiative and inspire schools at primary and secondary aged pupils) are description on the day. to sign up.* available to download from the European The leek pairing explanation from Jamie: Participating schools will receive a Space Education Resource Office UK “There are two parent lines needed to teaching pack containing a packet of website to enhance learning around the make a hybrid variety – we use a ‘male sterile seeds from space and a packet that have issues of growing food in space, nutrition seed parent’ which has been developed remained on Earth, a booklet outlining the and plant mutations. through natural processes so that it does main experiment, a poster to record results, David Rogers, Sales Director at Tozer not produce any pollen and a pollinator line stickers and more. Seeds said: “We have been working closely which does produce pollen. We need to find Following the experiment procedure, with the RHS on this project forover a year one of each of these parents that flowers pupils will embark on a 35-day voyage of and are all very proud to have our seed at the same time. Before the flowers open, discovery to find out what growing plants in pictured on the space station with Tim both heads are placed into a bag with small space can teach us about life on Earth and Peake. We have a further 2 kg of the same perforations (to stop humidity building up whether we can sustain human life in space seed securely stored inside the bag). We then place some fly pupae and a couple of sugar cubes into the bag. Once the flowers open, the flies should eventually become a new commercial hybrid. hatch and they will transfer pollen from the We constantly generate new parent lines for pollinator line to the stigmas of the male these trial crosses. sterile line, so all the seed that sets on the Once we have found a combination of male sterile line will be hybrid seed as there parent lines that works well to make a new will be no self pollination. The sugar cubes hybrid, we multiply them vegetatively rather are there to give the flies plenty of energy than through seed because leeks do not so they last longer in case the plants don’t propagate well when you self pollinate them. produce enough nectar. Once no more Cutting the flowers off a leek head at an new flowers are produced, the two flowers early stage encourages it to develop tiny leek are separated, and plants of the flower the flies and sugar head which we call removed and a new ‘pips’ or ‘bulbils’. You Sussex DA and friends bag is placed over We should get about 5g of seed can get up to 100 of just the male sterile these baby leek plants to be the material of choice for seed line, which is carefully from one head... from one head, which separation, why, because it doesn’t shake labelled. The bags need to be carefully itself to death! containing the leek separated once Probably the lasting thought of the day heads are harvested in September by simply they have matured and grown on in nursery was the patience you need and the time cutting off the flower stem with the labelled beds before transplanting to a hybrid seed required to bring a new variety to the market. flower head inside. The flower heads are production site to produce larger volumes The latest success in the Tozer stable, the carefully dried, and seed is then extracted. of seed of our best hybrids. The ‘pip’ Flower Sprout, took 10 years to breed and We should get about 5g of seed from one production in done in July-August to produce a further 5 years for bulking up the seed and head which is enough to trial the new hybrid plants that flower the following summer.” trials. It is however a great alternative for and see if it is an improvement on existing We concluded our visit with a look at those not too sure about Brussels Sprouts! lines in terms of plant structure, disease the harvesting and storage facilities. Whilst A brilliant informative day, our thanks to all resistance, etc. We produce about 150 new there has been a modern extension to the concerned. trial hybrids every year using this method, warehousing it was interesting to note that Barry Newman FNVS but no more than one or two of these would ‘low tech’ still has a place. Wood continues

Jamie explaining ‘pairing’ to the group Which variety of Sweet Corn would you like? Seed Separator

simplyvegetables 45 ADOPT A BEEHIVE A delightful way to support honey bees and learn more about the craft of beekeeping.

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46 simplyvegetables Scottish Branch

Chairman’s Thoughts

As we come to the end of another growing year it is always a dozen companies attending the annual seminar in November good to look back at the highs and lows. On a Branch level we where our members will have the chance to speak to them and are continuing to move forward, with the introduction of our buy their products if they want. We do have to get their knowledge E-Newsletter, Growing Booklets and our partnerships with a host and expertise out to a wider selection of our members , so that will of commercial companies. 2017 should see a continuation of new certainly be one initiative for 2017. initiatives that benefit the most important people within the Society On an individual note as I write this the showing season is just – yourself as a member. beginning so for me the results are unknown! Although being in the We as a Branch are always striving to be active and positive in tickets is good, it is more important to me to enjoy the show and meet pushing the Society forward but we never forget that the current friends old and new. On another note members will be aware that I members must be happy with what they get from the Society, so we have stepped down as a Trustee of the Society. I have always held the will continue as a Branch to find ways to maintain this and improve interests of the Society as my first priority, and will continue to do so. upon it. I am particularly pleased with the links we have within Our new Trustee Gareth Cameron will attend the Trustees Board with the commercial world. Thanks to our Sponsorship Officer Gareth the full backing of the Chairman and the Committee and we wish him Cameron we have a large number of companies who are now working well in his role. I also offer my best wishes to the new Chairman. It will with us to provide their knowledge for our benefit. Having links with a be a difficult task however the opportunity is now there for the Board to commercial company is not all about having them sponsor something take the Society forward from the position it finds itself in. in a financial sense and then not giving them a lot in return, but is in Best Wishes our view a chance to work together and have a two way transfer of Ian expertise for everyones benefit. At the last count there were around Gardening Scotland 2016

Gardening Scotland 2016 saw the N.V.S. Scottish Branch represented, with the creation of a wonderful display. Once again this was co-ordinated by Jim Williams with great support from Jim’s wife Jeanette in display design& attention to detail as well as her fabulous homemade cakes that kept the Team going). This was my first time being part of the onlookers throughout the weekend was team in helping create the display learning “beautiful” and the best description we heard from our pro’s in the days before hand which was “a feast of colour”. We were delighted was both enlightening & great fun. Being on to have received a Gold Medal award. hand promoting the Society and providing In addition to the display, the Scottish advice during the event was also very branch sold approximately 23 thousand enjoyable. leek plants (organised via Arthur Provan The most common word used by and his wife Margaret), numerous veg & herb plants and bags of fresh vegetables. Also on display were the Scottish branch’s new “Exhibition Veg. growing booklets and product information from some of our Sponsors. Premier Hydroponics had also supplied us with a purple Cauliflower which featured in the centre of our display which they had grown in a mind blowing 7 weeks! They also provided a pot leek @ 14” in circumference and a long leek @ 8½” in circumference. Our members provided advice and shared information, tips & ideas, plus we also gained Jim Williams with the Gold medal award lots of new friends and 4 new members….

Arthur’s 1st 10,000 leek transplants

welcome ! Altogether it was a successful event and we thank everyone for their help and enthusiasm. Fiona Shenfield Scottish Branch Secretary & Newsletter Sub-Editor Scottish Branch Display

simplyvegetables 47 Scottish Branch Annual Garden Visit 2016

On July 10th, the Scottish Branch had a at a nearby plot, where every space is filled (and, of course, checking on Andy Murray’s great day out with visits to three different with a well-planned mix of vegetables and successful progress at Wimbledon). Gardens. In the morning, we were flowers. Jim’s flower displays and veg all A big thanks goes out to all our hosts for delighted to be given a personal tour of looked very healthy with the exception of the day and to Jim Williams and Ian Stocks Kailzie Gardens near Peebles, by owner, his runner beans which had been visited by for organising what was another great day Lady Angela Buchan-Hepburn and Head some rather hungry rabbits (since fenced off). out. Gardener, Guy Heddlewood. It’s hard enough growing sometimes without Kailzie Gardens are privately owned and rabbits and pigeons helping themselves to run by the family, but are open to the public 7 our hard work. Jim gave a tour of his garden days a week. A large domestic garden on a and veg plot which contained different areas, grand scale, positioned on the River Tweed, Polytunnels and greenhouses helping create 700 feet above sea level, the gardens were the different environments for the various designed to withstand the harsh Winter’s veg types. Nestled in between were Dahlias which can drop to minus 30°C. and Lilies with every available space used to Kailzie gardens are planted with a wide maximum effect. variety of mature shrubs & trees, including Later in the afternoon, we moved on to Jim a Larch dating from 1725 (the oldest in Williams garden in Pathhead which was also Scotland). Within their walled garden, easy to spot with all the beautiful hanging we wandered through formal gardens, baskets and flower displays at the front of his glasshouses and, of course, the all-important house facing the main street. Jim grows his vegetable garden. These gardens were veg in his back garden which is again very NVS group inspirational with something new and well planned, with every space filled with veg, surprising around every corner with a well flowers and fruit. Jim’s veg, also looked very balanced mix of planting, sculptures and art. healthy and very clean and his well-planned After a lovely lunch in Peebles and a good garden provided the various environments chat, we headed off (on some interesting set up for his veg. No issues with rabbits or single track roads complete with plenty pigeons here though as Jim’s wife Janette of sheep) to the first of our members own has a beautiful Harris Hawk called Kira who vegetable gardens which was Jim Mercer in keeps an eye on things! Fountainhall . Jim’s house and garden were All throughout the day, ideas, hints easy to spot with his great flower displays and tips & jokes were shared along with and vegetables, but firstly Jim’s wife Barbara discussions on this seasons problems, mixed spoiled us with a lovely spread of tea, coffee with dreams of red tickets and polished off & home baking. with another chat over a cuppa and more Jim Mercer grows both at his house and lovely home baking from Jim’s wife Janette Kira the Harris Hawk

Jim Mercer in his garden Veg Garden

Jim Williams in his garden Jim Williams’ garden Formal garden

Dundee & East of Programme of events 2016 Scotland D.A. October 6th Growing Hydroponically, Premier Hydroponics November 3rd Winter Gardening, Mrs Norma Laird The Dundee & East of Scotland D.A. has established their next December 1st Honey and Bees, Bill Duff talks and events covering a broad range of growing related 2017 subjects. We hope there are many that you will want to attend February 2nd AGM and enjoy with us. March 2nd Carrots and Parsnips, Ian Stocks All will commence at 7.30pm in the Craigie Road Allotments April 6th Cacti,Jim Gibb Society Hall, Dundee. May 4th Fuchsias, Frank Chalmers We look forward to seeing you there!

48 simplyvegetables A Trip on the Magic Roundabout

Every year, for around 30 years, the Garvald to experience again!. Telford was reached Leek and Onion Club have organised around 8pm however that was only the an annual trip to visit grower’s gardens start of the problem. Have you ever been throughout the UK. Although the club round every roundabout in Telford at least folded a couple of years ago the trip has twice looking for a Premier Inn ? – well we been kept alive. So this year was a trip to have! So after finally finding the Premier Inn Cumbria, Shropshire and Lancashire. After we were joined by Mark and Sandra and a a visit to my plot on the Friday it was on to few glasses of lemonade were consumed. Lesmahagow to pick up Arthur Provan and Bright and breezy next morning we Mark Hall with the group then straight down to Penrith to pick up our thought that all our woes were over. Well the 3 first timers (Gareth, Ronnie and David). roundabout record was broken only 1 minute showing season. David also was behind with Our first stop was to “Mr Dahlia”, Jack Gott into the trip by going round one 5 times trying some other veg like most of us, however at Milnthorpe. Jack runs JRG Dahlias who to take the correct exit. Who knew that we I have no doubt his name yet again will supply thousands of dahlias throughout would be driven by Zebedee from Stenton be on a lot of red cards. We then moved the UK each year. Although it was a cold, on the Magic Roundabout.! After arriving at onto Mike Osborne`s allotment which is wet miserable day it Mark and Sandra’s I situated just behind his house. It really is was brightened up think everyone was in a stunning setting, and the quality of the by Jack’s enthusiasm gobsmacked at the plots was obvious to everyone. Mike grows and his love of Bright and breezy next morning amount of work they a huge amount of different plants from show dahlias. A tour of have put in over the vegetables (under the guidance of David) his plots which are we thought that all our woes years to make their to alpines, which he said were one of his right at his back door place absolutely favourites. Everything was looking good and gave us an insight were over. superb. Mark had Mike had some good onions and pot leeks. into the amount of his show vegetables After the short walk back down to Mike`s work and effort he in a separate area, house we were treated to a buffet and drinks puts in to achieving the results he does. with electronic irrigation rigged up. Like a by Mike and David`s wives. It was absolutely His wife Josie helps him and certainly lot of us Mark felt he was a good bit behind superb the way we were treated, and again helped us to put on more weight with a and he would possibly struggle to get into sitting in the sun with a drink and friends was wonderful tea and cakes. Little did we his favourite class – the Millennium, at the just yet another perfect day. But all things know this was to be the thread for the Nationals. After a tour of the rest of his huge come to an end so it was back on the road whole weekend – needless to say there gardens/fields, and more tea, sandwiches and back up to Cumbria and then home. We are now a few more Scottish members of and cakes it was on to Andrew Jones at all enjoy the weekend, meeting friends old Weightwatchers. It was then on to what Maesbrook. Mark was kind enough to give us and new, and also the banter between each should have been a two and a half hour all some of his free range hen and duck eggs, other. There is always a story to tell after each drive down to Telford where we were which even survived some abrupt braking on trip but this trip has one of the best – the day staying the night before visiting Mark and a Lancashire roundabout the next day! a group of old pensioners got stuck on the Sandra Hall, however Friday at 5pm and Although we have been at Andrew’s quite a Magic Roundabout with Zebedee! the M6 is not a combination that we want few times it never amazes me the amount of Ian Stocks work that he puts in to his veg, in addition to the amount of work he does in his business. Loads of quality show veg on display that looked good, but the star of the show was his tomatoes which were around 10–12 foot high and huge robust plants. There was also a new addition in a tunnel that had been put up for his partner Sue`s veg. Our opinion poll by the way Andrew, had Sue’s leeks looking a bit better than yours!. Yet more tea and cakes supplied by Andrew`s mum Shirley, and the chance to catch up on some gossip sitting in the sun. Saturday, late afternoon, we travelled onwards to Burnley where we stayed before visiting David Metcalfe and Mike Osborne on Sunday. No real driving dramas this time although we did have the eggs flying about on a roundabout. Whilst out for a meal!. It was also a chance to celebrate Jim Williams 70th Birthday with the obligatory cake. Sunday morning’s first stop was to David Metcalfe`s allotment. Again David had lain on refreshments which proved really popular. Once again the quality of David’s onions shone through, with some Andrew Jones Tomatoes tremendous bulbs around 23/24 inches Jack Gott Dahlias which should do very well throughout the

Dates for the Diary 2016 October 1st Scottish Branch – Judges Seminar – Auchterarder – 11am October 1st Scottish Branch – Committee Meeting – Auchterarder, 2pm November 5th Kelso Horticultural Society Autumn Exhibition, Tait Hall, Kelso November 19th Scottish Branch – Seminar – Pentland Science Park, – Registration 10.00am

simplyvegetables 49 North of N.V.S. Scottish Branch Annual Scotland D.A Seminar Programme (NOSDA) Date Saturday 19th November 2016 Seminar Agenda Venue Pentlands Science Park, Bush 10.00 Registration, Tea & Coffee Like all other areas the growing season Loan, Penicuik EH26 0PZ 10.30 Kevin Fortey – Giant Vegetable has proved challenging, but there has Cost £10 Growing & Jamie Fortey – Growing Giant been a number of good results so far Sunflowers from D.A. members at the local shows. Reminder that the Scottish Branch 2016 12.00 Fiona Shenfield – Branch and First up was the Sutherland show at Annual Seminar is almost upon us. National Show results 2016 Dornoch links. There were a number of Your SV magazine should contain a flier 12.30 Lunch fine exhibits with David Munro and Bruce which is your sales order form. If you want to 13.30 Dean Finlay, Chili Lab – Begg to the fore. This was followed by benefit from the great prices and purchase growing Chillies Nairn Agricultural show where Kate and anything from the list, please fill in the form 14.15 Neil Muirhead – Growing in a small Grant Fraser had a very good day and ASAP and post it to Arthur Provan to ensure garden Raymond Stewart exhibited a fine set of we can fulfil every order with sufficient time. 14.45 Afternoon Tea Pendle Improved Leeks. The Black Isle Collection will be on the day at the Seminar. 15.15 Ian Simpson – Growing Legumes for show followed with the Scottish Branch We have more companies than ever exhibition Chairman Mr Ian Stocks judging. There attending the Seminar with display stands Don’t forget, you can also re-new your were a number of fine exhibits from DA thanks to the work of Gareth Cameron and N.V.S. membership on the day with Fred members with Mr M Miller fulfilling a life- the Team. Gareth & Jim Williams have been Stewart, our Membership Secretary as well long ambition to win the potato board and working on the floor plan for our biggest as joining the 200 club via Gareth Cameron, best exhibit in the fruit and veg section. sales area attendance so far. our Sponsorship Manager. David Munro was again to the fore with a This year, companies attending are Airpots, Looking forward to a great day out. wide selection of veg exhibits and John Breakthruspray D&M Promotions, Easynet, “Hoss” Martin picking up tickets for all his Plant Magic, Charge, Premier Hydroponics, exhibits and particularly his beetroot which Auto Pots, Shield your Yield & Chili Lab. was very clean. Kate and Grant Fraser again had a wonderful day at Nairn Gardening Club Scottish Branch – 200 Club show sweeping the boards. The DA are still working to put together The 200 Club is a great way to support the Scottish Branch with all participants having a our winter syllabus. So far we have chance to win in our prize draws for 10 months of the year. secured the services of Mr John Jack If you would like to become a Scottish Branch 200 club member or renew your 200 club one of the Country’s premier giant dahlia membership for 2017, you can do so at the Annual Scottish Branch Seminar on November growers, Mr Jim Williams, a top veg 19th 2016 or you can join any time by contacting Gareth. (Gareth’s contact details for exhibitor and Scottish Branch President, your information mail: 2 Dyke Nook, Yeathouse Road, Frizington, Cumbria CA26 3QL, Mr Frank Taylor Grampian DA and 2014 Telephone: 01946 811797 or email: [email protected] National Pea champion. Most recent 2016 prize winners since the Summer SV from time of going to print. Our hardworking committee are still pursuing other options and are confident Month First Prize Second Prize of having a full Winter syllabus. If you would like to support NOSDA & do a talk May Margaret Cook Joe Keeler for us please contact John “Hoss” Martin June Peter Holden Margaret & David Burns via email; [email protected] or July Jacqueline Cameron Neil Drummond phone 01309 690486 you will be more than welcome.

Meeting Dates Saturday 29th Oct John Jack Grampian D.A. Tuesday 29th Nov Tuesday 31st Jan AGM plus open forum Grampian D.A. had a royally good tour of the Queen’s gardens at Balmoral Castle & Estate (possible slide show) which has been the Scottish Home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Tuesday 28th Feb Jim Williams Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. Tuesday 28th Mar Our Tour Guides for the day were two of our local Scottish Branch members, Aaron Scott Tuesday 25th Apr and Mike Jones who are employed as gardeners on the Balmoral estate. It is anticipated that Frank Taylor will Thanks for a great day out lads. be able to fit his talk in one of the blank dates listed above and hopefully we will also have secured the services of Wester Hardmuir fruit farm for both a talk and visit. All welcome John Martin NOSDA Chairman

50 simplyvegetables Northern Branch

Chairman’s Report

Early summer this year has seen our usual mixed bag of weather, show display, where we hope to do the same. The roadshows are with cool nights, gales, and thunder storms. In my area we had a well under way across the region where we hope to gain even more mild start with lots of rain and sunny spells, with no extremes, so members. my veg. are growing well. The Northern branch championships have been arranged at My onions were lifted 2nd/3rd week in July for ripening. My new Harrogate again and we are told with better lighting in the large hall onion looks promising, very early, large and uniform. It will be 2yrs. number 2. before the seed confirms this promise. My rat problem is now under Congratulations go out this year to recipients of our prestigious control by the environmental health dept., and hopefully will stay that awards for services to the NVS. way. Gold John Croot Sadly, another of our NVS stalwarts Ken Galbraith passed away in Gold John Woods June. Ken was the treasurer of Manchester DA and until recently a Gold Tom Lewins member of Northern Branch Committee when ill health forced him to Fellowships to Sheila Lewins and Trevor Barningham. retire. Please keep your stories and pictures coming in for the continued So far this year we have done well with displays around the region, success of our SV magazine. winning large gold award and best in show at Holker hall festival. Gold Good growing. award at the Great Yorkshire show and gold award at Tatton park David Metcalfe show. Several new members recruited. The next one will be Southport (Chairman Northern Branch)

Northern Sub Editor’s report Throughout the year we visit all sorts of We arrived at the site around 9.00am and good to see and it just shows what can venues with the Road show during the the whole site was a hive of activity marquees be achieved when people do work for a winter it tends to be allotment AGM’s were erected around the site one for selling common cause without counting the cost. during the summer though we attend vegetables grown on the plots with proceeds We had a great day answering growing shows and various events at allotments going to the allotment up keep another queries with many people buying the “Getting around the north of England. marquee was for the sale of homemade Started Books”, grow leaflets or back issues For the last few years we have visited one jams, chutney, cakes and delicious fruit pies. of SV. of the Allotments in the Blackpool federation There was tombola stall a raffle stall and I hope the pictures convey to you just of Allotments this year it was the turn of the a small craft stall. There was also a BBQ what a little gem this site is, one of this year’s Layton Road allotments for their annual open producing some wonderful food and the treats on our Road Show days out! If only all day and what an event it was at what I think site kitchen, yes the site kitchen serving tea allotment sites were as good as this! is probably the neatest well-kept allotments I and cakes, the site was just buzzing! But, Their web site is worth a look at to. have ever been too. everyone was working together, it was so http://www.bfaa.btck.co.uk/

simplyvegetables 51 Manchester & Cheshire DA’s

Manchester & Cheshire DA’s are delighted to announce that once again they achieved a Gold Medal at the RHS Tatton Show 2016. John Woods is pictured with the award however he said it was all due to the hard work and enthusiasm of the members of both DA’s. John said this year’s display was the easiest to build up and break down he had ever known, every member involved displayed a huge amount of commitment and he wanted to thank everyone for their help. This includes “twinkle toes” otherwise known as Jordan, not a member yet but hopefully soon will be. By all accounts he was jumping up and down off the display like a gazelle! The overall marquee winners were the Orchid Society, next year we need to look at ideas to fill a “black hole” to the side of the display, nevertheless it was a fantastic outcome. West Yorkshire DA This year we invested in some Polo Shirts which improved our image greatly and helped The picture above is the stand the West to make everyone feel part of the team. Yorkshire DA put on at Bingley show. A lot of The team sold many seeds, books and the produce was supplied by our members leaflets, one new member signed up on the and a great day was had by all. The picture spot and lots took membership application was taken and sent to us by Andrew forms away even someone from Perthshire! Cunningham, a new member and committee The produce was sold off at the end of the member. A lot of interest was shown by the show, always a popular time, Jane is our public and several members manned the resident saleswoman and does a fantastic stall all day, giving advice, selling leaflets, job, in total we took over £500 less expenses magazines and produce. of course. The happy bunch to the right are aptly Next year we have been advised that named the “Muddy Bunch” They are children the NVS stand will form part of the Floral that Paul and myself have been helping Marquee so you’ll have to come and find us to grow some veg in school. They have growing of the vegetables will help raise amongst all the flowers! planted a selection of squashes, pumpkins awareness with the children, about where Hope to see you there...... and courgettes that they are hoping to their food comes from, and the importance Noelle bring along to the Harrogate Autumn show of healthy eating. On the last day of term in September and display on the West each child was able to take home a plant pot Yorkshire DA’s stand. Harrogate show with potatoes, radish, rocket, spring onions have kindly offered to get the children free and peas, all of which they have grown admission and supply admission tickets for themselves. the accompanying teachers. Hopefully the

Westmorland & North Lancs D.A.

Our Coffee Morning and Plant Sale was held at the Memorial Hall Burton in Kendal on the 7th May. Once again it was a successful event raising £390 to help with our talks for the coming season. Members helped with the Northern Branch display at Holker Garden Festival in early June which won a large gold medal and best in the Societies Marquee. Our first talk of the new season will be held on Tuesday 11th October, speaker to be confirmed. On Tuesday 8th November we have Ian Simpson with his talk on Legumes and our A.G.M. And social evening will be on Tuesday 13th December. All our talks are held at the Club Inn, Endmoor Nr Kendal LA8 0EU commencing at 7.30p.m. Everyone welcome. Ring Jim on 015395 61053 for further details

52 simplyvegetables South Durham and North Yorkshire DA Once again the Northern branch put on a successful display at the great Yorkshire show in July. This was held in a new area of the show ground where the marquee held all the floral and horticultural exhibits. This was a good move for everyone as the marquee proved very popular with the general public. We were rewarded with a Gold award for the display and informed that we had the 2nd highest points in the whole marquee. They have merged the large gold with the gold award this year so we were given the highest award possible. Thanks to all involved who contributed to the display, all the hours of hard work putting the stand together are much appreciated. David Metcalfe produced some fantastic exhibits including his excellent large onions. Keith Able and his wife Janet supplied the celery and various other plates of produce. David, Keith and Janet also spent hours working to stage the exhibits. I must also mention my son Jack who spent time making the tomato balls and various bowls of vegetables as well as helping to lay out the educational Stand at Great Yorkshire tables and display boards. Without the help of these people we would not be able to achieve the standards we do. spend in the garden. Regretfully, I cannot grow as much as I would This years award was a special achievement for me, it was my 20th like to and there are also the years when produce is not ready when Gold in succession since 2009 at all the events where I have staged a just when you need it, so frustrating! But that is growing for you! display. It is also my 30th Gold since I began staging displays for the Now the displays are over for this year, I suppose I could take a NVS. (You should be justly proud of this record Adrian Ed.) rest! I now have time to concentrate on my other passion “the judging I have never had an actual budget to work from so we aim to of vegetables”. I spend a lot of time visiting shows around the country grow all the plants and produce ourselves. My sincere thanks go out judging and people ask why I do not exhibit at shows anymore!! to some great individuals who have grown and provided me with Thanks once again to all who have supported me in anyway over vegetables for the displays throughout the years, you all know who the past years. you are. I do personally grow as much as possible for these events Adrian Read FNVS. myself but full time work restricts the amount of time I can physically

North East Derbyshire DA (NEDDA) Over the past 3 months the DA have had Sunday 21st July Adrian Bagley hosted the mixed fortunes with its planned events. DA and other friends & family at his orchard. Starting on a bad note, the DA’s June visit Adrian is not only at the forefront of amateur to Mike Davey’s garden was cancelled due fruit growing but is renowned for showing his to the horrendous wet weather that was fruit at national level. Hopefully there will be plaguing the midlands. photos to follow in a later edition of Simply Putting that set-back behind us and Veg. thinking it couldn’t get any worse, well how The 3rd & 4th August was show time at wrong could we have been! The Derbyshire Bakewell. The DA turned out in force to erect County Show planned for Sunday 26th June the staging and then fill the stand with some was then cancelled about 4 days before the excellent vegetables grown by members. event was due to take place. Again due to John Goodall As with most things in life success comes the constant wet weather in the region. As with meticulous planning, commitment, you can imagine this was very disappointing news for all concerned enthusiasm and hard work and this year’s efforts were no exception. considering all the time, planning, growing and commitment made by The DA fought off competition from commercial displays to win the everyone involved. Looking on the brighter side there is always next top horticultural award; The Premier Gold Medal. Pictured are proud year’s event to look forward to. DA members after receiving the trophy and DA Chairman John Well that’s the bad news, now onto the good stuff. They say the Goodall giving the final and magical finishing touches to the display. sun shines on the righteous, well it certainly did on the 20th July when Was it his magical touch that won us the gold? the DA visited National Sweet Pea Champion Andy Hubbuck’s garden Looking forward; our monthly DA meetings which are held on the in Chesterfield. The summer evening was adorned with sweet pea 3rd Wednesday of each month at Pleasley Miners Welfare, NG19 fragrance as we wondered around Andy’s covered sweet pea beds 7PD. marvelling at the 100’s of perfect blooms. Andy’s wife and family were 19th October Jim Thompson Growing Cauliflowers & Celery great hosts and provided light refreshments during the visit which 16th November David Allison Growing Apples & Pears made it a very enjoyable and sociable occasion. So it’s a very big December – No Meeting thank you to Andy and his family from everyone in the DA. January 2017 AGM

simplyvegetables 53 Midlands Branch Chairman’s report To follow on from the last report, the wedding went off well, weather was great and a good day was had by all. We scrub up well don’t we? Then I settled back into it, BBC Gardeners’ World Live event was next, which Mick Poultney offered to run over the five days, if I did the background work so that I could get my usual touring trip around Europe in, but Mick’s week was tainted by the sad passing of his right hand man Colin Bagley, he will be sorely missed. We travelled the Loire region, on down to the South coast of France, Perpignan and on into Spain. This year we managed to do a lot more sight-seeing, as I have made one big purchase ‘an electric bike’. It’s great!!! I think my odometer reading was just over 200 km, which I think is good for me. The next weekend we had a visit from ‘The Boys on Tour’. A group Mark & Sandra Our family of men/boys from Scotland visiting members gardens either to be nosey or wanting to know how it’s done. We had a great morning with cope with the number of exhibits. The following week they all meet tea, coffee and pastries. Thanks for the unexpected gift; they were again at Shrewsbury and see if they can turn the results around, the lovely and much appreciated. camaraderie is there and great for all to see. Then the Southern Branch Championships were upon us, so off Shrewsbury Show is set around ‘The Dingle’ a beautiful sunken we went in the Camper/bus, bikes on the back to the New Forest for garden landscaped with alpine borders, colourful bedding plants, three days. We spent a day in the Show, debating the judging etc and shrubbery and water features created by Percy Thrower of Blue Peter then the other days we were out on the bikes. We went so far the one fame, and Parks Superintendent for 28 years and is very much the day I ran out of battery power, but don’t worry I got back; it went into centre of attraction at the Show. Stunning they are too. manual, hard graft mode. Good job it was only a few miles to go. Also at Shrewsbury this year we had surprise visitors, Roy and I always look forward to the next few shows, Oswestry and Carol Price who are retired long serving committee members and Roy Shrewsbury. There is a lot of rivalry between local NVS members a national winning exhibitor joined us for a day out. It was good to see Andy Jones, Mark Hall, Dave Perry and a few others from across the them and they were welcomed with open arms. We are all just one border in Wales, which has been going on for some years now. I think big happy family!!! this has helped Oswestry go from strength to strength, the benches I am now finishing off my report after having been to Alexander getting fuller and fuller, people are always looking and asking who’s Mark’s christening. (Grandson) won this time and more. They have had to have another judge to

Dingle Dingle Gift

Oswestry Oswestry Boys on tour

54 simplyvegetables Shrewsbury Flower Show

The weather was very kind to us again this DATE FOR year, encouraging many visitors through the gates of Shrewsbury Flower Show. The YOUR DIARY number of exhibits was up this year and the quality of a high standard. It was good Midlands Branch AGM to see many of our NVS members winning Sunday, 5th March, 2015 prize cards. Thank you to all those who provided vegetables for our stand and the Friesian Hall, Malvern swan-shaped squashes seemed to attract the most interest. Further information to follow. Please note the date of next year’s Show – 11th and 12th August 2017 – as our Branch Championships will be held at Shrewsbury. This is because we will be hosting the National Championships at Malvern in September. Simply Shrewsbury Flower Show is situated in a lovely setting alongside the river, and the Dingle never ceases to Vegetables amaze people with its beautiful gardens. Binder We hope as many NVS members Store your as possible will magazines away come along to Each binder holds support the Branch 12 magazines Championships. (3 years worth) Thank you to all those members £5.00 and visitors who To purchase made the two days contact; at Shrewsbury so Midlands Branch, enjoyable, grateful Sandra Hall, FNVS, thanks to those who 01952 541396 helped on the stand [email protected] and welcome to the new recruits who joined the Society. The NVS Midlands Branch stand at the Shrewsbury Flower Show, 2016

Men’s Shirt NVS branded clothing £22.50 The NVS has teamed up with “The Hockey Centre” to provide easy access to official NVS branded clothing with no minimum order requirements. This garment collection is accessible from the NVS website by selecting the Shop tab on the home page, then select NVS clothing. On the next screen there is a link that takes you to the selection of garments on offer, the sizes that they are available in and the ordering process. The items that are currently available are shown below. Happy shopping! Beanie hat Ian Clemens, Chair NVS Southern Branch. £7.50 Baseball cap Women’s £7.50 Blouse £19.99

Polo Shirt Sweat shirt Fleece Bodywarmer Rain jacket Apron £15.00 £15.00 £25.00 £22.50 £25.00 £15.00

simplyvegetables 55 Southern Branch

Chairman’s Report

It seems like only yesterday that I was writing my last report for SV, complaining about the late frosts preventing us from planting out tender plants and here we are at the end of harvesting most of them. Where does the time go? Having successfully navigated the NVS Judges exam last year, I have recently put my newly acquired credentials to work and have enjoyed every minute of it. This is far more than just turning up at a show deciding 1st, 2nd, 3rd and returning home in the car. I found this a great opportunity to interact with show committees and advise on wording modifications for their schedules, talk to exhibitors about the preparation and staging of their exhibits, even help some folks looking for growing tips. Of course this also provides a great opportunity for flying the NVS flag and fulfilling one of our key objectives in the educating of folks in growing vegetables. If you are judging at shows then stay around after it opens to the public and talk to the exhibitors, most are looking to improve what they are growing and showing and are pleased for any help and advice you can provide. Sadly Countess of Wessex with Jim Thompson and Ian Clemens the village shows are in decline and we all should try and support these important community events in any way we can. Let’s face it, village shows are where most of us first acquired the showing bug smoothly on the day. This was their last show “in the hot seat” and that has led on to us “graduating” to branch and national levels. by way of a token of our appreciation of all they had done for the Our major event of the year, the Southern Branch championships, show over the years, were presented with some gifts at the end of kindly hosted once again by the New Forest Show, saw an excellent the awards evening on July 26th. We are now of course trying to fill display of exhibits across most of the classes. Despite the unusual some pretty big shoes in recruiting a new show secretary. If anyone is weather conditions that we experienced earlier in the season, interested in taking on this exciting and rewarding role please contact exhibitors managed to load the benches with some serious quality, me. which enthralled the visiting public over the three days of the show. Our next key event was the Judge’s exam running over the There were a lot of familiar names amongst the prize winners but weekend September 30th – October 1st. This year’s exam was also a few new folks coming through which is nice to see. I had arranged and hosted by John Trim of the Hants DA. At the time of the privilege of walking one very special visitor, Sophie Countess of writing, we had already a healthy list of candidates for both parts of Wessex, around the exhibits. Sophie is the current president of the the exam as we did for the seminar. New Forest Show and spent much of her time over the duration of the Good luck to all candidates and I hope to see you on the judging show, visiting all the different areas that make up this important event. circuit in the coming season and of course a big thanks to John for A huge thank you to all who exhibited at this year’s event, and to pulling together this year’s event. the judges and stewards, but the biggest thanks of all must go to Ian Clemens, Southern Branch Chairman Chris and Jane Neel, for once again for ensuring everything went

Devon District Association

Chairman: Don Cockman Treasurer: Allan Terry FNVS Secretary: Dave Wickstead.

There was an open garden meeting in July at my house to view the garden & also inspect the blanched leeks, which John Shore has been guiding me on growing (no one said they were rubbish anyway). A short walk was taken to my newly acquired allotment to give me some ideas for the future, for some reason everyone forgot their forks which I thought they were bringing to help me dig. We then had a very pleasant evening having a good natter whilst enjoying the food that everyone had brought. I was fortunate to be able to go to the New Forest Show and steward. This helped me gain some knowledge which will benefit me eventually to take the judges exam. Some of the Devon District association members had entries in the New Forest Show, John Shore got a red card for his pickling shallots which made him very happy (please see photo, very happy chap) Alan Terry had a second for his exhibition shallots, third for exhibition onions and leeks, also a fourth in the South of England Potato Championship. Don’t forget that at the 26th October meeting we will be having a mini show to display members’ produce. Do please bring your own plates & vase for displaying. Any queries please contact Dave Wickstead on 01752 319435. Very happy chap – John Shore of Devon DA

56 simplyvegetables Hampshire Newsletter District Editor

Association I would like to join Ian in thanking Chris and Jane for doing such a great job as SB show Chairman: Ted Perren FNVS; secretaries. Sue and I had a taste of how Secretary: Vacant; stressful it can be when we tried to help at Treasurer: Ann Brown FNVS the National in 2014 in Dorset by setting Ros Holton up spreadsheets for the show results and What a crazy few months. Vastly prize money. We had done this many times unpredictable weather plus a new Prime for the local village show. We learned very Minister, new England Football manager, quickly how different the National is when a vacancy to host Top Gear – again! – and the time pressure and the stress of the political resignations galore. occasion can lead very easily to errors. We In stark contrast to this mayhem, our talk By the time you eagerly rip open your mostly sorted these out on the spot but it on 14th June by John Trim on Harvesting / Autumn copy of Simply Veg, we will have held was an illustration of how difficult this job is Storage / Preparing for Show was like the the Hants DA Show and seen how everyone and we only covered a very small part of it. calm before the storm. John has such an has coped with this year’s challenging Also that September overnight staging was impressive breadth of knowledge; ask him a conditions, the slugs, the snails, the ants and bitterly cold in the marquee and we were question on any veg topic and he seems to diseases. We have added a Novice section glad for the relative warmth of our tent. We know the answer. to our schedule this year to encourage new enjoyed working with Chris and Jane and Despite a morning of torrential rain, our exhibitors and are very excited to see the taking part in the shows is one of the real Garden Visit on 10th July was blessed results. More on that next time! pleasures of being members of the NVS. with clear skies and bright sunshine; we Hants DA is very lucky with the level of Good luck to those who took the judges could have been forgiven for thinking it was support received from local enthusiasts. exam, there was a lot of interest this year, summer! The neighbouring gardens of Ann & We are delighted that our good friend David which is very pleasing. Even if there are Bob Brown and Chris & Betty Hewlett were Shergold from Redlynch Veg Club has been limited occasions to judge NVS shows I fantastic to look around and we are indebted awarded an NVS fellowship for all that he found taking the exam helped to improve to both couples for hosting the event at short does to champion the NVS and promote judging village shows which are mostly under notice due to unforeseen circumstances. It the growing and showing of veg. Well done RHS rules. was inspiring to see the methods and the David, very well deserved. Peter Cranfield FNVS, Newsletter Editor lengths National Champions go to, to grow The final note and the last laugh goes to veg for show. Later in the day, we basked our very own committee member Nigel Gould in the sun as our annual potato growing who, harvesting crops well in advance of competition was judged. The potatoes various shows, has borne ribbing about his Attention were emptied from their bags and weighed timings with extremely good humour. It was and in a reversal of fortunes from last year, great to see him triumph in several classes all Show Ros Holton won the crown for achieving a at the Southern Branch Championships. Go phenomenal 1.87kg. Congratulations Ros! Nigel! The Southern Branch Championships were Secretaries! held at the New Forest show 26th-28th July. Next Meetings: The ‘veg tent’ is a big draw to visitors at this 11 October Talk by Ray Broughton on Applications from Southern Branch vibrant agricultural show and Hants DA really Greenhouses & Vegetables. affiliated societies for the NVS plaque value having a presence there. It gives visitors 8 Nov Talk by Mark Read on Leeks. are now invited for those wishing to immediate access to representatives from 13 Dec Hants DA AGM present the award in 2017. Any NVS their local branch, an important recruiting We meet at Wellow Village Hall, Buttons affiliated society qualifies to apply for tool and a fantastic opportunity to promote Lane, West Wellow, Romsey, Hants SO51 this prestigious prize, although not all the NVS on a local level. Well done to all 6BR. applications are successful. Priority Hants DA members who took part exhibiting The Hants DA programme of events is will be given to Societies who have not in the show and many thanks to those who available on the NVS website www.nvsuk. been awarded the Plaque in the past or manned our stand. org.uk (newsletter – Ali Clarke) recently. If your society would like to participate in this programme for the 2017 show season, then please register your application with Peter Cranfield, peter. [email protected] and include the 3 open classes (single dishes) from your show schedule that you would like to be considered for the award. Successful societies will be informed before the end of 2016 to allow them to include details in their 2017 schedules. The Plaques are funded by Southern Branch

Dorset District Association If any member is interested in starting up the DA again, please contact Dennis Hewitson: Peter and Nigel with the Nigel triumphs in the South of [email protected] master of celery Chris Hewlett England Potato Championship

simplyvegetables 57 Essex District Association

Chairman: Sherie Plumb FNVS; machines range from those which get rid of chaff to those which sort Vice Chairman: Peter Cranfield FNVS; seeds based on the colour spectrum. Secretary: Pat Eves FNVS; Our guide, Peter, gave us an extremely informative talk on the Treasurer: Emily Plumb FNVS. history of the company from its inception to the present day as well as telling us about where in the world all of our different seeds come The Essex DA’s June meeting was held on Sunday 18th June from. We had over 50 members attend the visit and everyone had a and was a visit to King’s Seeds. We were given a guided tour of thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. the operations at King’s Seeds, including their seed sorting and July brought us our annual mini show, with a record number of packeting machines, their seed fridge, their seed germination entries this year! Thanks to our Show Secretary, Pat Eves, for all her testing lab and their stock room. hard work in pulling the show together and also to our judge, John Some of the seed sorting machines are antiques, but still in good Mead, for doing another fantastic job this year. working order and cannot be beaten by newer technology. The A full list of the show results are below:

Class Vegetable 1st place 2nd place 3rd place 1 3 Onions, 250g or under Sherie Plumb Peter Plumb Anthony Walters 2 3 Onions, over 250g Peter Plumb Anthony Walters Andy Gaskin 3 3 Onions, shown as grown (excluding - Sherie Plumb Peter Plumb green salad) 4 6 Onions, green salad Chris Harris John Brackley - 5 3 Potatoes, white Sherie Plumb Peter Plumb Dave Willox 6 3 Potatoes, coloured Sherie Plumb Dave Willox Peter Plumb 7 Carrots, other than long Sherie Plumb Mick Hazell Gordon Eves 8 6 Beans, runner Sherie Plumb John Brackley Peter Plumb 9 6 Beans, dwarf Dave Willox Peter Plumb John Brackley 10 6 Beans, broad John Brackley Sherie Plumb Peter Plumb 11 3 Beetroot, globe Peter Plumb Mick Hazell John Brackley 12 2 Cabbages, green - Peter Plumb Mick Hazell 13 2 Cauliflowers Sherie Plumb Peter Plumb - 14 6 Shallots, exhibition Peter Plumb Andy Gaskin Clare Walters 15 6 Shallots, pickling Anthony Walters Clare Walters Andy Gaskin 16 3 Courgettes Sherie Plumb Tony Rogers Peter Plumb 17 2 Table marrows Sherie Plumb Gordon Eves Mick Hazell 18 2 Cucumbers, indoor Sherie Plumb Dave Willox Peter Plumb 19 2 Cucumbers, outdoor - Peter Plumb - 20 6 Cherry tomatoes John Brackley Peter Plumb Peter Morris 21 4 medium tomatoes Dave Willox - - 22 6 Peas Jan Lovell Peter Plumb Sherie Plumb 23 Collection of 4 kinds of vegetables Sherie Plumb John Brackley Anne Kebbell (numbers per classes) 24 Collection of 4 kinds of vegetables (1 of Sherie Plumb Dave Willox Jan Lovell each) 25 Collection of 3 vases of herbs Peter Morris Emily Plumb - 26 Any other vegetable Sherie Plumb Mick Hazell Tony Rogers 27 Novice class Norman Holland - -

Our next meeting will be our Gardener’s Question Time on Sunday 16th October 2016. Please feel free to come along with all your gardening questions! If you would like any further information about the Essex DA or any of our events please contact Emily on [email protected] or 01621 741787. We look forward to seeing you at some of our meetings throughout the year!

Essex DA visit to Kings Seeds John Mead, Dave Wilcox with Fred Plumb and Pat Eves

58 simplyvegetables The Southern Branch Championships 2016

On the 26th of July 2016 the National Vegetables Society Southern the public was our Cabbage class which was won by Chris Hewlett Branch held their annual Branch Championships at the New for a lovely brace of Cabbage, lots of selfies were taken with them. Forest Show in Brockenhurst Hampshire which is a three day In the evening we held our annual presentation evening at The agricultural show visited by over 100,000 members of the public. White Rabbit Hotel in Lyndhurst, where we present the awards and The Vegetable section is very highly regarded as one of the most have a buffet style meal and then time for a relaxed chat with all the popular sections at the show, as the exhibits are of a very high workers and exhibitors, something we just don`t get time to do during quality, as we continue to attract a good number of National the daytime, as many of you will know this was the last show for Jane Champions to our Championships. and I as Show Secretary`s, we will really miss being involved in running This year we tried a different approach and had a Head Judge to the show, we have made so many good friends over the years, help things run a little more smoothly, Barry Newman did a great job, although it has been hard work at times, it has been very rewarding, and had to work a little more than we had bargained for, also we and we would like to thank everyone who has helped us over the opened our section a bit later than in previous years, this was due to years, especially Tony and Penny Stevens for all their help setting up not having overnight staging because of new security measures put in and the Southern Branch Committee for their help and support over place by the New Forest Show Society. the years we could not have done it without you all. Finally we would This year`s show Champion was Jim Thompson with 44 points, he like to wish my successor every success running the Championships also claimed the Best in Show for a lovely set of Stumped Carrots, a in years to come. full list of results to follow below, as usual one of the biggest draws for Chris & Jane Neel FNVS

Results NVS Southern Branch Championships 2016 Class 1. Large Collection 1st Jim Thompson Class 2. D.T.Brown 1st Jim Thompson 2nd Tony Stevens 3rd John Trim 4th Donald Chester Class 3. Cabbage 1st Chris Hewlett 2nd Tony Stevens 3rd Clarence Thomas Class 4. Celery 1st Clarence Thomas 2nd Tony Stevens 3rd Chris Hewlett Class 5.Parsnips. 1st Jim Thompson 2nd Rob Holmes 3rd Damien Guttridge Class 6. Leeks. 1st John Trim 2nd Patrick Lawrence 3rd Alan Terry Class 7. Carrots Long 1st Jonathan Randall 2nd Jim Thompson 3rd Bob Brown Class 8. Onions EX 1st Jim Thompson 2nd Donald Chester 3rd Alan Terry Class 9. Pea 1st Jim Thompson 2nd Mark Hall 3rd Tony Stevens Class 10. Cauliflower 1st Sherie Plumb 2nd Tony Stevens 3rd Clarence Thomas Class 11. Potato White 1st Sherie Plumb 2nd John Trim 3rd N.J.Hosking Class 12. Potato Coloured 1st John Trim 2nd Nigel Gould 3rd Sherie Plumb Carrots other than long class Class 13. Carrot Stump 1st Jim Thompson 2nd Chris Hewlett 3rd Jonathan Randall Class 14. Onions 250g 1st Sherie Plumb 2nd Jim Thompson 3rd Mark Hall Class 15. Runner Beans 1st Sherie Plumb 2nd Chris Hewlett 3rd Jim Thompson Class 16. Tomatoes 1st John Trim 2nd Patrick Lawrence 3rd Brian Arm Class 17. Shallots pickling 1st John Shore 2nd John Trim 3rd Rob Holmes Class 18. Shallots EX 1st Rob Holmes 2nd Alan Terry 3rd Bob Marsh Class 19.Beetroot 1st Tony Stevens 2nd Brian Arm 3rd Neil Greatwick Class 20 Cucumbers 1st Sherie Plumb 2nd Tony Stevens 3rd Chris Hewlett Class 21.French Beans 1st Chris Hewlett 2nd Elizabeth Maunder 3rd Ian Clemens Awards The Chairman’s Shield (Best in Show) - Jim Thompson (Stump Carrots) The Brent Cup Show Champion (points) - Jim Thompson 44pts The Bob & Ann Brown Trophy (long carrots) - Jonathan Randall The Christopher Hewlett Trophy (celery) - Clarence Thomas The D.T.Brown Cup collection – Jim Thompson Clarence Thomas winning celery Jim Thompson winning collection The Pig Cutters Cup S.O.E.Potato Championships – Sherie Plumb The Cedric Hayter large collection – Jim Thompson The Holderness Spade (tomatoes) – John Trim The Holderness fork (Beetroot) – Tony Stevens The Chris & Jane Neel Cup (leeks) – John Trim The Hants DA Shield (stump carrots) – Jim Thompson The Tony Stevens Trophy (peas) – Jim Thompson

Onions upto 250gms Potato Championship class Chris Hewlett winning cabbage

simplyvegetables 59 Kent District Surrey District Association Association

Chairman: Roger Simmons Chairman: vacant; Secretary Joint vice chairman: Neil Hope FNVS and Treasurer: Gordon Francis FNVS Patricia Barrett FNVS; Secretary: Sally Coleman FNVS Surrey D.A have a well earned lunch In July we were at the Kent County Show Joint Treasurers: Patricia Barrett FNVS and at Detling with our first stand of the year, Derek Learwood. productive period lasts from May through to this was with the Kent Federation of July. Horticultural Societies. A number of our On a warm, sunny day in June 2016, Surrey One of the loveliest things about Eric members exhibited at the show in the DA enjoyed a special visit to Eric Wall Wall Ltd (apart from their tomatoes of vegetable classes and dabbling in a few Ltd, commercial tomato growers in West course!) is the company’s ethics towards of the other classes. The best exhibit in Sussex. The tomato plants are all grafted the environment, they are keen to the vegetable classes was won by Chris plants, using F1 hybrids. Eric Wall used to encourage biodiversity, and have created Passey with a very good plate of potatoes. propagate all their own plants, but now get spaces for wildlife to live alongside their Our stand at the show is only 10ft long but a longer growing season from commercially glasshouses. What’s also notable is the it’s always well received by the public and propagated, grafted plants, all of which are responsible and caring way they look after, the Federation. Fortunately the weather purchased from Plant Raisers in Hull. and reward their staff. There are workers on was fine over the three days, it can be a They graft the tomato plants onto specially the nursery that joined the company in 1977, nightmare if the weather is not good. selected rootstock, which will ensure the when it was founded. Even the ‘seasonal’ Meetings have been well attended and we plants have the maximum vigour, and the workers at Eric Wall Ltd usually come back have had a varied selection of speakers. All longest growing period. They are all grown each year, and spend an average of seven very interesting in their own way. in Rockwool, a man-made, mineral wool years of service working at the company. By the time that you read this we will have material, which is very absorbent and initially Supermarkets are now 98% of their been to the Edenbridge and Oxted Show sterile, so there’s no risk of introducing business. Eric Wall Ltd pack under whatever on August Bank Holiday weekend with any weed seeds, pests or pathogens to the supermarket individual brands may be; another stand, this being quite a bit larger the crops. Rockwool provides a stable mostly they grow for the Sainsburys Taste than the County show one. This takes us environment for plant growth and is used by The Difference brand. the best part of Saturday afternoon and into hydroponic growers. On Thursday 10th November 2016 at the late evening. I often wonder why we do The plants arrive in December, about 8pm in the Lovelace Room, East Horsley it but when it’s all done I can see why. We 8"-10" high in solid cubes of Rockwool. They Village Hall, Kingston Avenue, East Horsley, usually get many nice comments and a great are planted into trays of Rockwool in mid- Leatherhead, Surrey KT24 6QT – Fruit amount of photos are taken which gives December and fed using drip-feed irrigation, Expert Gerry Edwards, will be joining us for a great amount of satisfaction. Ed’s note, via pipettes, which drip small amounts of an informative talk about ‘Growing Apples The Kent DA were awarded the Large Gold water and nutrients throughout the day. And Pears In The Garden’. Medal and best in Show for their display, full To control pests inside their glasshouse, Eric NVS Surrey DA Programme for 2017 report in next Issue’ Wall Ltd use IPM (Integrated Pest Management). Saturday 25th February 2017 – Surrey DA We will also have held our DA annual show They use Biological Controls, introducing natural AGM at 10am in The Cedar Room at West in September. All being well, I will have got predators in their glasshouses, to eat pests Horsley Village Hall, 95 The Street, West the hang of this new laptop and I will be able such as aphids, whitefly, and keep any tomato Horsley Surrey, KT24 6DD, followed by lunch to send a few pictures in. pests under control. at 12 noon at La Meridiana, Ockham Road October is our last meeting at Bridge The three most common natural predators South, East Horsley, Surrey, KT24 6QU. village hall for this year and our speaker is used are Macrolophus, a non flying insect, Thursday 9th March 2017 at 8pm at East Mark Hall BEM FNVS giving a talk on the which effectively controls whitefly, it will also Horsley – Award winning Vegetable Grower, Millennium 5 veg class, should be interesting consume moths such as Tuta absoluta, which Sherie Plumb, will be joining us for an to see how Mark does it. is a serious pest of tomato crops, and when interesting talk entitled ‘A Year in Our Garden’ We round off the year with our annual these pests are under control it consumes in the Main Hall of East Horsley Village Hall. social evening at the Halfway Public House at spider mites, aphids and other pests. To target Tuesday 4th April 2017 at 8pm at Redhill Challock. red spider mite, they employ Phytoseiulus Methodist Church and Centre, Gloucester Then we start to plan for another year. So persimilis, which is the natural predator of this Road, Redhill, RH1 1BP – Head Gardener everybody have a happy Christmas and New pest. They also use Encarsia formosa, which at Fittleworth House, Mark Saunders, will be Year. is a predatory wasp, to control glasshouse joining us for an interesting and informative Our full year programme is on the NVS white fly, or Trialeurodes vaporariorum. talk ‘The Head Gardener’s Year’. web site and the Kent Federation web site. It’s important to achieve 100% pollination Thursday 11th May 2017 at 8pm at East More details are available from the to maximise the harvest. At the time of our Horsley – Professional Plant Pathologist, secretary Gordon J Francis FNVS on 01622 visit, there were twenty beehives with native writer and broadcaster, Paul Patton, will 710486 or email gordonjfrancis@googlemail. British bees. They start picking tomatoes be joining us for a talk entitled ‘Growing for com or off of the NVS Web Site. (Everybody in March, and usually finish harvesting their the Kitchen’ in the Lovelace Room of East Welcome) crop in November. They were hitting their Horsley Village Hall. peak production when we visited, this highly Visit to Vitacress (previously VHB Herbs) on Tuesday 18th July 2017 at 2pm at Runcton, near Chichester. You are very Jersey District welcome indeed to join this visit , though places are limited, please contact Beth Association Otway [email protected] 01483 420989 to Chairman: book your place, there is no charge. Graeme Le Marquand FNVS, Thursday 14th September 2017 at East 07797 727216 or Horsley – Head Gardener Matthew Styles- [email protected] West will be giving us an informative talk Deputy chairman: Steve Vibert; entitled ’No Dig Vegetable Gardening’. secretary: Mrs Zoe Vibert Thursday 9th November 2017 – Dr Articles by Collette Bisson, Jersey DA, Jamie Claxton from Tozer Seeds ‘Vegetable appear regularly in SV. Breeding and new Vegetable Varieties’.

60 simplyvegetables Sussex District Association

Chairman: Barry Newman FNVS in order to supply growers with quality seed. Vice Chairman: Ian Clemens Please read the separate article on this visit Treasurer: Brian Jeffries FNVS by Barry Newman. Secretary: Marion Neden September saw our mini show where the DA growers displayed their produce of June saw the Sussex DA at The South of this year’s season. This also acted as an England Show in Ardingly where we are opportunity for our 4 candidates taking the proud to announce the award of top honors judges exam in October to brush up on their Display at the Ardingly show in the form of a Large Gold medal for our knowledge and receive some tuition from stand. On behalf of the committee we our local panel of experts. It was a fun and would like to say a really big thank you to informative evening for all. all those involved in supplying the plants for Looking ahead: in October we will have and constructing the display. Another big a promotional stand at the Autumn Show thank you to those growers donating plants at Ardingly and Marion has schedules for for the sales table and to those manning anyone who wishes to enter any exhibits in the stand over the three days of the show. the show. It was a huge success on all fronts and we We are looking forward to a talk in have already started to plan for next year. November by Martin Ward of SYMBIO on In July was our outing to the trial grounds “Growing Championship vegetables with of Tozer seeds in Cobham. This was an improved soil biology”. So we look forward extremely interesting visit where we were able to seeing you there as it will be our last talk Jim Buttress, Jean Griffin and Barry to see how new F1 hybrids are created and for 2016. The AGM will be Wednesday 11th Newman with the large Gold Medal understand the length that producers go to January 2017. Welsh Branch

Parc Primary School, Butterflies and the younger children from accessing the plots. Carpet underlay collars were used to prevent root fly {good for recycling], Vegetable Garden but they couldn’t stop the slugs. They were not allowed to use slug pellets. Nevertheless the hearts of the cabbage were relatively It was a pleasure again this year to work with the eco-council unscathed and there were good reports of how tasty they were. pupils of Parc Primary School,Cwmparc in the Rhondda Valley. The potatoes were the big success story this year. Twenty members There are eight plots in the school vegetable garden each about of the Eco-Council planted Winston potatoes in 14 litre plastic 1.5 meters square. The plots were fertilized before planting with a bags. The medium used to fill the bags was multi-purpose compost liberal supply of Blood,Fish and Bone. It was essential that when enriched with Medwyn’s base fertilizer. The potatoes were planted we chose crops to plant that they mature before school ends in after the children returned to school after the Easter Holidays in mid- July or that they can be left until the children return in September. April, and lifted the week before they broke up from school in July, a We decided this year to plant Greyhound Cabbage, Sturon Onion period of about eleven weeks. Ashton Smith won the prize for the Sets, Welsh Seedling Leeks, Winston and Amour Potatoes. I set heaviest potato weighing in at an amazing 475 gms. Jessica Hunt the challenges for the children this year which were: – won the prize for most potatoes in her bag, which was 62. It took [a] To keep the cabbages free from pests using eco-friendly means. Jessica about half an hour to count all her potatoes because she [b]To stop the younger children from walking on the beds. found all the tiny ones as instructed. Each child took home a bag of [c]That prizes would be awarded for the pupil growing the most potatoes for their dinner many weighed more than 250 gms. It was potatoes and the one growing the heaviest. really pleasing for me to hear the gasps of amazement as the children The children needed to research the methods to meet the emptied the bags to see the potatoes rolling out . The children who challenges. Fine mesh nets were used to stop Cabbage White took part learned skills in mathematics, use of computers, taking photographs, presentations and research, and of course gardening skills. This I hope will encourage them to take up gardening at some point in their lives. I would like to thank the staff at the school for their support, especially Helga Lewis the teacher responsible for the Eco-Council. Ron Jones, NVS Welsh Branch Committee Member.

simplyvegetables 61 Royal Welsh Show

The Welsh Branch decided to put up a vegetable display at this collectively and achieving success. year’s show after last year’s Annus Horribilis (as the Queen would Although the third week in July is still a bit early for vegetables, the say). Quite a few of our members and committee contributed vegetable section was well contested with an average of 6 or more with vegetables and in the end we were awarded a Large Gold entries in each class. The best dish went to Robert Holmes’s Peas Medal. There is nothing more rewarding than coming together and and the NVS plaque went to Glyn Jones’s red onions.

Class 1st 2nd 3rd Royal Welsh Top Tray John Oliver Jim Thompson Ron jones Collection of Salad Vegetables John Oliver Ron Jones Robert Holmes Nine Peas Robert Holmes Jim Thompson Ron Jones Five White Potatoes John Oliver Ron Jones Ivor Davied Five Coloured Potatoes Ron Jones Robert Holmes John Oliver Pair Cauliflowers Jim Thompson E Williams Ron Jones Five Tomatoes Robert Holmes G Jones M Rodgers Three Short Carrots Jim Thompson John Oliver Robert Holmes Six French Beans Jim Thompson Ralph Hall Glyn Jones Six Broad Beans G Jones S Sherwood Robert Holmes Six Runner Beans T Rowlands Jim Thompson Ron Jones Three Onions under 250gms John Oliver L Jones Robert Holmes Three Red Onions Glyn Jones L Jones Robert Holmes Nine Large Shallots G Jones Robert Holmes L Jones Nine Pickling Shallots E Williams Robert Holmes G Jones Three Globe Beetroot John Oliver Trevor Humphries Ron Jones Two Cabbages Ron Jones E Williams Two Cucumbers T Rowlands Ron Jones John Oliver Two Marrows Ron Jones Roy Tudor M Rodgers Six Herbs Glenys Bufton Glyn Jones L Jones Three Distinct Soft Fruit S Sherwood T Rowlands G Jones A Plate of twenty Gooseberries. G Jones Robert Holmes T Rowlands A Plate of Blackcurrants T Rowlands Glyn Jones Sue Sherwood

Welsh Branch exhibit 2016

62 simplyvegetables Tullamore Show

At the Tullamore Show on the 14th August 2016 the late Michael Walton’s family entered his last vegetables that he was working on when he died and they won the All Ireland collection. We had a well-attended NVS meeting at the Shows and John Warren will be the new Chairman. Harold Lawlor, our senior member has been elected to the newly created position of Hon. President. Michael Gordon

Jim Thompson with his Sweet Candle Carrots Elwyn Williams pickling shallots

Shows Michael’s family – L-R Aoife, Neil, Mark, wife Margaret and grandson Ciaran Langan

Ron Jones with winning exhibits

His daughter Aoife with the All Ireland winning exhibit

Susan Sherwood’s dish of soft fruit John Oliver

Robert Holmes with Show Perfection Peas

NVS member Michael McGoldrick with his entry in the All Ireland Potato Championship, with Lorcan Burke, Bord Bia – sponsor and John O’Donoghue, Tullamore Show

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